Not So Big and Bad Now, Dragon?
by kellz1pt5
Summary: They never thought life would be like this, nor did they sign up for it. Caskett is used for experimentation and now have to learn to hone their newfound enhanced senses, all the while battling Beckett's Dragon and learning that their pasts intermingle. COMPLETED!
1. Whoa

Disclaimer: Just getting it out there and over with. Wish I own this show, but unfortunately I don't. Dang!

A/N: New to the Castle realm. I discovered this show about a month and a half ago. Excellent show! I fell in love with it! I've written stories for a few other shows, so I thought I'd try my hand on this one. It's not perfect and needs a lot of work, considering the plot is still in development. Please bear with me. Not completely sure when I'll get a chance to update again. Just let know what you think.

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"_Whoa"_

Flashes of light threatened to blind him; distorted, muffled voices spoke a rapid speed; a shrilling sound of a tattoo machine liner edged closer to the unsuspecting man; panic sweeping his system, causing him to whip his head back and forth and jerk at the restraints on his wrists, stomach, and ankles. In between these glimpsing surroundings, the middle-aged man had momentarily slipped in and out of unconsciousness.

The sudden scream of the person next to the man instantly caused him to whip his head to his right where he settled his eyes on the very familiar woman, who was currently being tattooed.

They noticed him watching the younger woman as she slipped into unconsciousness as soon as the male tattoo artist completed his job, only to turn to him and do his wrist as well. It was noted the man started to squirm, trying several times to break the leather restraints, only to be forcefully held down by a second man.

"Same thing, Joe." The second man said. "They want them to be mates." He paused as the first man looked up at him, quirking an eyebrow with a smile on his face. "Not like that necessarily!" He exclaimed.

"I know, Diller." Joe said as he looked back at his unwilling patient. "I know." He whispered.

Conversation drew to a close as the tattoo artist concentrated on his job. The patient screamed in pain, but both ignored the outburst, obviously too used to the reaction.

All the restrained man could do was pray that it would be over quick. God answered his prayer, making it only last twenty minutes. The restrained man looked over at the woman beside him, praying she'd wake up. That prayer went unanswered.

Just as the man looked up at the second man, he was smacked on his forehead by the butt of a rifle. He quickly succumbed to the darkness.

The man came to on his female partner's bed with her tucked at his side. She was on her left side, facing him and very obviously still unconscious while he lay on his back. His foggy mind slowly caught up to the present as he checked out her room, the only room he'd been in once to gather clothes for her while she was in the hospital.

Almost thinking they were safe, he soon realized they weren't. Far from it. Upon looking around the room, he spotted a small handwritten note on the nightstand beside him. He lifted his left arm, checking out the throbbing left wrist, reading the series of letters, dash, and numbers. The black ink was still red and puffy. Flexing his wrist caused the throbbing to increase, making him hiss into the cool, quiet room. But he needed to read that note. Slowly, he reached for it, settling back on the bed as he looked at it.

_Richard Castle,_

_I'm sorry for what we did to you, but it was necessary. You and Detective Beckett are our last hope. We discovered you two by accident when you were chasing a suspect. Right off the bat, we noticed her tough and sense of justice demeanor. You showed us your ability to take the suspect down, fighting. In our eyes, you two were the perfect choices to carry out this enormous responsibility._

_The Government has set up the Med-Code program, which gives us the chance to develop the perfect super soldier. Unable to decide which of you were a best fit for the job, we decided to use you both, forever linking you together. With the amount of SI-32 in your system, you two will forever be nearly considered gods. SI-32 is a formula used to heightened all senses of the body and physically enhance your body's performance. Do not worry, it isn't contagious nor a dying disease._

_Unfortunately, we are unable to teach you all that entails with this responsibility; but do not worry, we will be watching you from a distance. I know you must have a million questions running through your mind; they will be answered eventually._

_There are bad people who discovered the project and have every intent to kill you, so be careful when you use your newfound abilities. We can't afford either of you dying, but then again, they'll have a hard time killing you; so you should be okay._

_Good luck, son._

_Sincerely,_

_Jacob Beater_

Castle was in total shock and very confused. Then, a rush of senses ran through his system. His senses made themselves known, introducing the new heights they've taken. He heard the traffic downstairs like he was down on the street; smelt and practically tasted pancakes being cooked probably next door; saw a plane in the air from a million miles away; felt the sheet material more fully.

His eyes landed on the sleeping form of his partner. She was stirring, rubbing her head from side-to-side on the pillow. A soft, loving smile broke out on his face. Suddenly, her green-brown eyes popped opened, staring straight into his own blue-green eyes, making the smile immediately ceased to exist and a surprise look took over. A moment later, she slapped both hands on her ears and snapped her eyes closed, causing him to shift a little ways away.

"What's wrong, Kate?" He asked, already suspecting what caused her sudden reaction to the morning.

"It hurts. Everything is so intense." She answered, tightening her mouth. He shifted again, only this time closer to her, and placed a comforting hand on her side. "Make it go away, Castle."

Castle pulled her into his strong arms, his muscles flexing and contracting at the movement. She relaxed, feeling safe. He would always protect her, no matter what. His head rested on her crown, tightening his grip to an uncomfortable level. When she winced, he instantly loosened his grip. "Sorry, Kate."

"S'okay," she mumbled, settling back in his safe, comforting arms.

They fell asleep with difficulty as they tried to hone in their enhanced senses.

When they woke again, Castle showed her the letter. Like he, she was shocked and confused. What future did they now hold? What were they supposed to do with this information?

It was only a matter of time before things went completely out of proportion.

"All I have to say is whoa." She said, underestimating the gigantic responsibility they now would have to take on.

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PLEASE review! :)


	2. Fight Fire With The Dragon

**Hey all! Thanks to those who checked out my story. I'm sorry that it's been soooo long, but everyday life snuck in. That and having a bit of writer's block. Anyway, I finally finished this chapter. Just began the next yesterday.**

**Thanks!  
**

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"Fight Fire with the Dragon"

_One Month Later..._

_BAM!_ The dust swirled up in a dusty cloud and nearly shook the ground below it. A pair of black shoe-clad feet planted themselves on the already shaking ground. Bent at the knees and clenched fists at her sides, the white, brunette woman decked out in black leather straightened herself gracefully. Her darkened expression revealed determination and anger – at who, only she knew.

Her green-brown eyes scanned the area, finding no danger. Minutes later, a similar sound erupted the ground. Like her, he was also in the same position and clothes-attire as she was. His blue-green eyes scanned the area, finding no danger. Like her, he was also in the same position and clothes-attire as she was. His blue-green eyes scanned the area, finding no danger.

Out of all places they could have gone, they landed in the middle of the desert. They were still getting their senses under control. Kate had taken a month off to get them under control as well as Castle, who had postponed his latest book tour, although he sent in a few chapters to Paula and Gina. Now, though, his mind were on other things. She still called her dad; he kept in contact with Alexis and Martha; and together, they stayed in contact with the gang from the 12th.

Along the way, they had discovered they each possessed several abnormal abilities. Some they had together; others made them unique. A week after they woke up the fateful day, those abilities started to make themselves known. The Dragon behind Beckett's mother's murder had nothing on them. What had seemed to be overbearing and fearing was now just a little nuisance. Not only did they take that time off to tweaked their abilities, they've also spent time looking thoroughly into her mother's murder and the whole conspiracy behind it.

"Kate," Castle spoke up.

She turned to give him her attention. _What, babe?_

_ It'd be nice to actually use our voices instead of our mutual thought-speak._ Castle gave her a scowl.

"Fine." She groaned, stalking off a little closer to the compound a few miles away. "It's _sooo_ much quicker to use thought-speak."

Castle zipped closer to her, stopping just behind her and definitely in her space. "We're trying to stay normal and less like what we'd be termed as freaks." He spoke in a husky voice.

She shivered at his closeness. "So not cool, Castle." She smirked. "C'mon, let's kick some ass."

Castle had to smile at that. _That's my girl._

_I heard that, Richard Edgar Castle._ She glared at him.

Castle smacked her on her ass as soon as she turned her back. She jumped and whipped around, giving him the _look_. "Too much?" Castle's widened eyes and shaky voice made her smile even more.

"Don't make me mind blast you." She warned. Her gun had been replaced by her new ability, although she still used it when she was on duty to keep up appearances.

"When you say that, it makes me wish you'd use the gun instead." Castle teased. At her look that hinted that she was thinking about it, he was quick to add. "But no need. I've been a good boy. I'll settle for spankings instead, dear."

Kate couldn't help but rolled her eyes at him. Typical Castle. "C'mon, we have work to do."

"Work, work, work." Castle teasingly complained. "No playing."

Just as she was about to respond, something whizzed past them, smashing into the dried land at their feet. Both stopped, turning halfway around, wearing similar glares. "What the..." She trailed off.

"Hell." Castle finished her thought without even using their mutual thought-speak. It was something that they had developed over four years; something neither realized they did until one of their friends or family members pointed it out.

A black SUV, dusty from the land, stopped a few yards away. Three gunmen had the doors wide open, guns drawn. They seemed to be waiting for either partner to retaliate. While Kate was usually the first to respond, Castle surprised them both when he wrapped his arms around her, forcefully pulling her against him as a transparent force field enveloped them. She yelped and buried her face into his chest as the only reaction he received. His eyes remained closed as he continued to concentrate on their only form of protection.

"We need to get outta here." Castle murmured, trying to calm his anxious demeanor. Casing the surrounding area, they both noticed a few other out-of-the-place black SUVs barreling toward them.

Kate turned back around to look at the facility. They were so close yet so far away. "Dammit!" She muttered under her breath. "Get us out of here, Castle."

He grabbed her hand, slamming her against him and wrapping his arms securely around her. "Take a breath." He commanded as he shut his eyes. When he heard her intake of breath, he transported them to his loft.

_Whoosh..._

She nearly fell down as they suddenly landed in his living room. They both heard someone moving around upstairs, then a door squeak as it opened, then more footfalls descending down the stairs a fast rate, then his mother appeared around the wall, peeking at first before releasing an anxious breath.

"Oh thank God!" Martha said, dramatically as she placed a hand against her heart. "I was worried we had an intruder." She came to them, hugging her son momentarily before moving on to Kate. "But I don't have to worry now. My knight-in-shiny-armor of a son and his equally knight-in-shiny-armor girlfriend are here to protect this old lady."

"Mother." Castle smiled, scoffing and softly chuckling. He blushed, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh Richard, there's nothing to be ashamed about." Martha said, pulling back from Kate, who was smiling with amusement at the mother-son banter. His mother turned around, heading to the kitchen. "Are you kids hungry?"

The two partners looked at each other momentarily before simultaneously responding with a "yes!". They raced to the island, sliding into the two unoccupied chairs. A blast of violent air surfaced, not fazing Martha the least. She had gotten used to their strangeness.

Martha cooked some Mac and Cheese, making three bowls as Castle got some water for himself and his mother and milk for Kate. They ate in silence, each in deep thought.

They had retired to their own rooms after cleaning up. As Kate was showering, Castle called Alexis to check in.

The sound of sharp, swift footfalls were heard in a large hallway, resonating off the walls as the owner of the footfalls walked. Behind those footfalls, equally resonating footfalls followed at a much lower rate. A teenage girl faltered in her run as she glanced back at her pursuer. The tall, burly dark haired man with equally dark sunglasses continued on chasing her with a blank expression.

He knew she could run all she wanted, but she wouldn't be able to hide very well. By now, after three weeks, he assumed she would figure it out; but obviously, she's the type that had to learn the hard way. Sure enough, they came to a dead end. A small, smug smile crept on his face.

"No!" She yelled, raising her hands up in a defensive manner while backing toward the wall. "Please, don't hurt me!" She begged.

He was almost to her before a crackling in his ear telling him that someone else was on their way to help.

A little of the anxiety in pursuing her let up. He grinned. This oughtta be fun.

Up in another part of the facility, Jake Beater stood in front of the big bay window, overlooking the bustling activity below. The open area was set up more like NASA in command center. Rows of long desks was scattered throughout the space with a computer on each desk. There were several scientists, assistants, etc. walking around. The lab-rats were in individual rooms, some in various states of consciousness and experiments.

He stood with his hands on his hips, the ends of his black suit jacket flipped outwardly to make room for his hands. His body was poised in a serious, no-nonsense demeanor. Jake was known to be a hard ass, but at times witty. Nearing his seventies, Jake still had a full head of hair – only it had changed from deep rich brown to silver – and was physically in fairly good shape. Standing 6'0", Jake used his height to intimidate his subordinates or unwilling participants when needed.

Jake turned his head away from the window to look at his fairly neat desk, lined with pictures of his family. Behind it were two large bookshelves as tall as the room and as long as half of the wall. Decked with mostly books of various genres, there were a few fake plants neatly placed in a couple of the shelves along with more family photos.

There were pictures from when his four children – three girls and one boy – were younger at various stages of life. Some photos were of the children with their individual families. He and his wife were posing in a professional photo, happy as can be. There was even one of his eight grandchildren – four girls and four boys. On one shelf – hidden from the public eye – was a few photos of his oldest son, the half-brother of the four children. Some were from when he was younger and recent photos. There were mixed in with his ninth grandchild – also the oldest – at various stages of life. These two he didn't actually associate with, but he had used his resources to watch them from afar. That, plus the very fact his oldest was a famous author helped.

Richard Castle looked quite a bit like Martha, but he had gained some of his body structure. That and his height. Jake wasn't completely sure about his personality, but he noticed that his granddaughter had inherited his maturity level.

A knock suddenly interrupted his reverie. Game face turned on as he leveled with a "enter", to which a young woman who appeared in her thirties with strawberry blonde hair and similar green eyes. She was shorter than him, but still very obviously his daughter.

"Hey Dad," she greeted in a dry, serious voice as she entered the room, carrying a thin portfolio in her pale, creamy hands. Her dress attire gave little hint to just how serious she put her job.

"Hey, baby girl." He returned the greeting in the same manner, except he cast a small smile. Sitting in his office chair, he asked. "To what do I owe the pleasure in seeing you?"

"Unfortunately, work right now." She smirked, not bothering with asking to sit. Her head bowed as she opened the portfolio, rifling through the papers. "We've been successful on Med-Code program. I sent out a couple of our men to test them, and obviously they passed. I just don't believe they realize we can predict their every move."

Jake nodded his head as he listened. "Roy Montgomery was correct in his referral." He commented, trailing off that thought.

His daughter caught it though. "What do you mean? I thought we discovered them by accident."

"You were led to believe that." Jake revealed, only feeling just a little bad by deceiving his child. "The Dragon discovered our intentions and in order to protect her we had to put them in the program. Johanna would've been upset that we didn't do our job. After all, she had been one of the founding advocates for this program. I'd like to think I made her proud by protecting her daughter in this way."

"He just won't stop being a pain in our ass, will he?" She half questioned, half commented.

Jake only shook his head. "Sometimes, you have to play fire with the Dragon. It's the only way to ruffle up his feathers. He'll eventual falter in his path."

"Good thing I chose them then."

_I am too. You have no clue just how grateful I am towards you. I can now keep an even closer eye on your brother. _Jake thought, letting out a subtle sigh. _Everyone involve is going to hate me when they find out the truth._ He was referring to the whole Richard-Castle-being-his-son deal. Someone was bound to get hurt.

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**Please review and possibly give me some ideas of how you'd like to see what path this story takes.**


	3. Another Life

**Hey all! I know it's been like FOREVER since I last updated, but I had a lot on my plate. That, plus having writer's block did not help the situation. Anyway, I'm back; but I'm also writing a non-fanfiction story. I really do apologize for neglecting this story.**

**Disclaimer: don't own it...damnit. :(  
**

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"Another Life"

Castle leaned back in his office chair, laptop on his lap with his feet up on equal-height-to-the-chair stool. He was attempting to ease his mind of all the troubles of the world. That, plus Gina was pressuring him to give her the next few chapters. He used their emotional connection to locate Kate, who was in the next room, reading. Times like these, he really appreciated their abilities.

The monotonous blinking line in his word document mocked him, daring him to continue, or so he felt. He gave the screen a dirty look before reaching up to grip the lid and pull down, effectively closing it for a while. His thoughts were too wired for him to settle on his imagination. Instead, he rose from his burgundy chair and grabbed a book from behind him, intending to join Kate.

He walked over to the door, ducking his head in the slightly opened door. Kate was leaning against three pillows with the blanket on and her legs propped up. She was so engrossed in her book that she failed to notice him.

Or so he thought.

Without looking up, she spoke. "You can come in, babe."

He shook his head with a smile and opened the door further to accommodate his width. He still couldn't fathom how she did that. _Must be her abilities._ He pondered as he climbed up on the bed, book in hand and mimmic her, slipping under the sheets. Looking over at her opened book, he asked as he opened his own. "What are you reading?"

She smirked, giving him attention and slightly closed it. "Well, since someone still doesn't let me read the book beforehand, I'm stuck reading it after publishing."

_I see._ He looked at her wide-eyed. "Well..." he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't piss her off. "I like to surprise you."

"Well, you certainly did. Heat and Rook are now having a baby together?" She prompted. "Are you trying to subtly telling me that you want a child with me?"

He blushed. "Maybe." He answered with a smile. "I know we haven't discussed it, but I do love you and I'd kinda like a Beckett-Castle child running around."

She gave him a warm smile. "I want that too, but with everything going on, I don't our child feeling abandoned. When everything's settled down, then we'll revisit this discussion." She opened the book, moving her now free hand to pat him on the thigh. It was the only reassuring gesture she gave him.

He was fine with her answer for now, but he was certain it would surface again. It was only a matter of time.

Sitting in an expansive office, a stocky older man with graying hair and matching suit sat at an oak-colored desk, pen in hand and vigorously writing. The dim desk lamp cast the only light in the room, giving the room a haunting effect. Soft classical music drifted around the room from the small radio against the opposite wall.

His office phone began to ring, interrupting his vigorous writing. Grunting and clearly irritated at the disruption, he yanked the phone in his free and snapped with a "hello".

The person on the line chattered rather quickly, only slowly down when he almost finished speaking.

The man groaned, placing the elbow which hand held the phone and used the other hand to rub his temples. He did not need this complication. "I was under the impression that loose end had been tied up." He grounded out, listening to the person. "Are you serious! Tie it up! We don't need _that _detective to get closer to finding out the truth. Johanna can't know."

"Johanna can't know what?" An older woman with pepper-colored hair, healthy-shaped body, and fading green eyes spoke as she entered the room. She held a authority-like aura with crisp-like attitude. She looked at the man expectantly.

The man looked up and paled quickly. "Uh...humm...I..." He pointed to the phone and looked away. "I'll have to get back to you. Just tie it up, Jarod." With that, he hung up. "It's just a small loose tie, Jo."

"Uh-huh." Johanna said sarcastically as she slipped into the chair in front of his desk. "What loose tie, Cameron?"

"Your daughter and her boyfriend have been investigating your false case, therefore getting closer to finding the Dragon. We are attempting to eliminate our loose ends." He told her. "You told me that you don't want her to know."

"Very true." Johanna agreed. She rose. "We have those documents to go over as soon as you're finished." With Cameron's nod, she left. Cameron returned to what he was previously writing.

Johanna closed the office door and walked down the colorless hallway. Her thoughts slipped into reminisce. Her life, at one time, had been innocent and free. She had worked on cases and coming home to her daughter and husband. It had been simple...until that last case. Threats had forced her to fake her own death and switch sides of the law. She worked her way up in the mob system until she had forcibly removed the previous Dragon. This life had changed her attitude almost completely and caused her to toughen up. Now, she had people doing her bidding. The murders she had committed no long phased her.

The only regret she had was being with her family, but she was at peace that Kate had become a detective and did good by the law. If only she knew about Johanna's new life or that she was the Dragon.

_God...I don't even want to see that scene play out._ Johanna thought as she walked into her own office. Two photo frames were on her desk, evening it out. Two young men were smiling and posing as the professional picture was taken. They looked nearly identical. In the second photo was a unhappy looking baby, most likely six months. The baby was a girl, dressed up in a pretty pink outfit with one of the identical men. These men were her children, none other than nineteen. The one that sat higher up in the photo was the daddy to her granddaughter.

She had decided to get a sperm donor. The lost of her older child had left her with wish for another baby. Instead of one, she had been blessed with two. Thankfully, Cameron had decided to be their surrogate uncle and help raise them.

_I wonder how Kate would react if she knew._ Johanna thought as she walked behind the desk, sitting down and averting her attention to the laptop. _Maybe, someday, I'll change my mind and return to my previous lifestyle. _She thought about that. _Or not._


	4. Safety

**Wow! I managed to update a lot sooner than I have been! Here goes guys!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters that belong to the show.  
**

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"Safety"

Castle was engrossed in typing as a brilliant scene in his recent Nikki Heat book popped into his head. Beckett was downstairs with his mother and daughter, watching a movie and conversing along with it.

That's one thing he loved about her. She left him alone when he was writing...unless he asked her to. In those moments, she would sit across the room with a tall lamp on beside the comfortable living room chair, curled up and looking down as she read a book or pulled the small end table on the other side in front of her to view their current case.

He looked up as the scene finished, looking out the window to the raining sky that loomed over New York. The continuous traffic outside were going about their day, never suspecting two heroes were watching over them.

Heroes. He smiled as he just labeled them. Together they were doing more than their normal jobs, preventing the murders and various other crimes to hit her department. There were countless victims that helped and perps that inadvertently turned in.

"Lost your concentration, Babe?" Kate's voice pulled him out his reverie. Whirling his head to the office door, he saw her leaning inside the door frame, arms crossed and feet nearly fused together. A soft smile hit her face.

A warm smile mirrored her own as he set the laptop on the desk. She definitely knew him. "Something like that." He answered, gesturing for her to enter. She did, crossing the door gracefully and sliding onto his lap, intertwining their hands. "What's on your mind?"

"Just checking on you. I could feel tension from you." She answered, leaning down to kiss him on the lips, to which he reciprocated. After a few seconds she pulled back, studying his blue eyes.

"I'm find. No need to worry." He assured her, breaking contact as he turned to study the fierce rain and oncoming storm. "Just thinking about what we've become."

"Oh, and what's that?" She leaned into him again, nuzzling her nose under his chin.

"Heroes. We're heroes, Kate. I'm meaning outside the normal realm of cop and tag-along." His answer didn't really surprise her. She had thought along the same lines shortly after they discovered the abilities, but she hadn't thought to really voice it.

"I know, Castle." She said with muffled words.

He kissed her crown, running a hand through her silky brown hair. "I love you."

"Ditto." She kissed his neck.

Then, his cell phone's text message ringtone went off.

_Restricted_.

Reluctantly, she got up as he sat straighter in his seat and grabbed his phone in the process. She started to leave, but he was quick to wrap an arm around her waist, effectively stilling her movement.

"Castle." He deadpanned.

"Mr. Castle." The unrecognizable voice greeted, dryly. "We need to meet. It's about Detective Beckett's mother's case."

"We put that to rest and have no intention to delve back in it." He stated, looking up at her with alarmed eyes. Her eyes mirrored his own.

"She needs to be protected. More so now than before. Neither of your abilities can protect you."

"How do you know about that?" Castle released her, bending over in his seat. "No one's supposed to know."

"Who do you think gave them to you?" The voice questioned.

Castle was quiet momentarily, rushing through possible escape routes and ways to protect her. He couldn't find many. "How do I know you're for real?"

"That will be explained when we meet." The voice was cryptic. "Meet at 9 o' clock at the old Stix club. I will send you the address. Bring Beckett with you."

With that, the call ended. Castle pulled it back a little, staring at it like it had two heads.

"Who was that?" She wondered, watching as an array of emotions flickered across his face.

"I have no clue. He wants to meet us at the Stix." He answered, looking up at her. "Should we go?"

Kate looked like she was debating. They were unstoppable; so if anything came up, they most definitely could protect themselves. Then again, it could be a trap. "They could have a decent lead, babe." The desperation in her eyes to finally put her mother's case to rest propelled him to make the final decision.

"We'll go."

_Nine o' Clock_

_The Stix_

The old metal door squeaked as Castle and Beckett entered, slamming shut as soon as Castle released it. The tall lamp post outside filled the scattered windows with florescent light. They each kept their eyes opened as they ventured further into the building.

The large building was separated in three parts – two dance rooms and the food and seating area. Off to the right side were the men's and women's bathroom. A staircase at the back of the third room led up to individual rooms where people could be alone. All the surfaces had layers upon layers of dust.

_Be careful, babe._ Castle warned, eyeing her. A sudden nod was the only response he received.

"I'm glad you could make it, Mr. Castle and Detective Beckett." The same masculine voice deadpanned, emerging from behind the second room.

They stopped. Castle slid in front of her, naturally feeling it was his duty to protect her despite her ability to protect herself. "We're here. Now discuss the case." He demanded.

"It doesn't work like that, unfortunately." The man stated, coming forward, stopping in the light. "I'm sorry to lie to you, but this was only way I could think of to get you both here."

Taken back, they didn't realize two burly men darting at the same speed as them behind. It was an instant drop on them. The man came forward, holding up a thin needle.

Both of them were dazed, laying on the ground and trying to fight to get up. The men held them down as the boss man bent down, inserting a clear liquid into Castle's neck. "I'm sorry, but it's for your safety."

One of the other men mirrored his actions, aside from speaking. Castle's last thought was _what the hell is going on_ and _where's Beckett_.


	5. Caged

**Hey All! I'm back! A lot of stuff's been going on here, so I didn't have internet access for a while. Now I do, so let's hope I can get this story out there for you all to read. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Castle and company are not mine. Only those that aren't featured in the show are.  
**

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"Caged"

The first sense Castle felt as he came to was hearing hushed, distorted voices engaged in conversation. He realized he was sitting up in a chair, arms tied behind his back. His senses were slightly off, making it hard to sense her presence. That alone made him flip out.

"Where is she!" He yelled, jerking against his tightened restraints. No reactions aside from silence and attention were given to him. "Let me go!"

One burly man came up to him, hand fisted and ready to swing. Getting into Castle's face, he scrunched up his wrinkled face. "Don't talk or else..." He trailed off, standing back up and turning his back to Castle. That made Castle even more pissed.

Gaining his super strength, he attempted to escape but failed. Caught off guard by the strength resistant of his restraints, sweat began to break out on his skin.

Abruptly, a heavy swinging metal door opened, casting light into the room as a male figure entered. Immediately, all conversation ceased and the three people in the room stood at attention. The man approached Castle, switching on a cheap hanging light that blinded him momentarily.

Castle looked on, slightly uneasy, joining the other occupants in the dominating presence of the man who was currently staring him down.

"Leave." was all the man said, propelling the other occupants to hightail it out of there.

Once the door had shut, the boss-man seemed to relax and appear a little less intimidating. "I've been watching you for a while now, Mr. Castle." He started pacing back and forth continuously. "I've also read your books." He stopped, looking at him. "And they're quite excellent, if I say so myself." He resumed pacing. "You're probably wondering why you and Detective Beckett are here along with why you two have been separated." He stopped, facing Castle. "You can speak."

"Are you gonna let me out of these restraints?"

He shook his head. "Can't do that until I know you'll stay with me and listen."

"I won't leave." Castle promised and he was completely honest.

The man seemed to debate for a few moments before releasing the restraints.

Castle remained seated, but rubbed his raw wrists, wincing when he touched a sensitive spot. "So what do you want?"

"To protect you." The man sat in the chair across from him, intertwining his fingers as he rested his elbows on the metal table. At Castle's questioning look, he further explained. "In that letter that was sent to you stated that a bad group was after you, you remember seeing that, right." At Castle's nod, he continued. "I've seen them in action. They've attempted to kill you, but you've done good by exploring your abilities. Unfortunately, that just enlightened them to the knowledge that you do have the SI-32. They'll hunt you down, no matter where you go; they'll try to harm your family and friends. It's either that or they have some personal beef with you."

"So you couldn't just actually told us all this at the club?" Castle raised an eyebrow.

"No." The man simply answered, bringing out an envelope. He fiddled with it, looking away from the writer. "But you're safe here." He looked back at him. "Despite your restraints."

"Where's Beckett?" Castle shifted worries. "I can't feel her."

"We have her safe." He simply said. "She's in more danger than you are."

"It's a little of both, am I right?" Castle finally concluded.

"We believe it is." He stopped fiddling with it and slid it across the table, waiting until Castle opened it. "My team's come to the conclusion she's the one after you."

Castle unfolded the single piece of paper, immediately shocked. A million thoughts rushed through his mind. "This can't be true. She's supposed to be dead." He looked up. "This'll crush Kate if she sees this."

"Which is why I'm telling you first." The man rose out of his chair. "There's some other things you need to know. Come with me."

He walked to the door, looking back and waiting for Castle to join. The younger man did, waiting until the older man entered a sequence code, instantly opening the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Castle asked as he followed the man through a maze of hallways until they stopped in front of an office. The writer observed the door, locating the identity of his interrogator.

_Jacob Beater_.

Instantly, Castle's eyebrows rose in surprise. He whipped his head back around to find the smiling old man. "You...you're the man who left us with the note."

"Yes." Jake gestured to go into his office, to which they did. His office door was closed, leaving them in silence. He allowed Castle time to gauge his surroundings before speaking.

Castle took in the office, looking at the bookcases behind Beater's office. His eyes scanned the collection until he came across family photos. The other photos of unrecognizable people didn't really catch his attention, but the ones of him and his daughter shocked him. Then, he grew mad. "What the hell! Where did you get those pictures?"

Jake understood his son's anger, but he took it with a grain of salt. "I've kept an eye on you ever sense I found out about you. With my resources, it was fairly easy to get access to you and your daughter, despite your fierce need to keep her out of the spotlight." He turned his back, picking up a candid photo when Castle was little. In it, Castle was sitting behind the curtain at one of his mother's many plays, sitting Indian-style as he focused on coloring. Jake handed it over to Castle, who looked at it.

"You stalked me?"

"More like protected you from afar." Jake explained. "At the time, my job prevented me from having a family. I had gone drinking with a couple of buddies from work. Your mother was there as well with a small group of her friends. There was a lot of flirting. It was most likely the abundant consumption of alcohol that led us to have a one night stand, but it never changed the fact that we did. At that time, I hadn't realized she'd gotten pregnant. Not until you were five when I happened to see you both at a play. By then, I was married with a young child.

"I know I should've taken responsibility of you, but you seemed content and I didn't want to throw your childhood up in chaos." Jake revealed, taking a breath before sitting in his chair. "But that doesn't mean I never brushed you aside."

Castle's heart was working overtime. "You should have been there. There were times I needed a father's advice."

Jake held his head in shame before slipping into his all-business expression. "I may not have been there physically, but I did send money to you for things you needed, including birthday cards."

"That explains the unknown cards addressed to me." Castle said. He took a moment before looking at the other photos. "These must be my siblings." He commented, looking more closely at the photos. "Do they know about me?"

Jake shook his head. "My wife does, but no, your brother and sisters don't know you exist. Well, not the you're-their-brother part."

Heart pounding, he wasn't sure what to say about that. Receiving the news that his father had indeed been around threw a punch into his stomach, more powerful than the one Slaughter gave him. As he eyed the picture of his daughter – the park one – his racing thoughts turned into a dying need to get to his mother and daughter. A more powerful one urged him to find Beckett. Looking at the older man, he really took in the similarities. If that was what he had to expect in some years, he definitely hoped he'd age like his mother.

Narrowing his eyes, his glare at the man never faltered. "My family doesn't need your protection. I can protect them just fine." With that, he turned on his heels and started leaving.

"Richard." The man used a father's tone – one very similar to his – effectively stilling him. "I never meant to hurt you. Really, I'm being serious."

He thought a minute. "You should've left us alone. Period." He looked back at the man, matching expressions mirroring one another. Without further ado, he flitted out of the office, emotionally seeking his partner.

Jake looked at the empty doorway, disbelieving that he was that fast. It took him a short moment before he called his daughter.

"He got the upper hand on me. He's loose." Jake reported angrily into the office phone. His daughter rattled off details. "Don't explain, Baby Girl. Just do them." Slamming the phone back on its cradle, Jake looked out into the hallway. "Richard Castle is _**mine**_."

* * *

**Please, _please_ review. I really want to know your opinions. Thank you!**


	6. Unknown

**Disclaimer: Castle isn't mine.**

* * *

"Unknown"

Castle finally picked up on her emotions, instantly locating her. Alone, she lay on a slab with eyes closed and ceased movements. A simple surgical overhead lamp lit over her body, causing her to be the main focus in an otherwise dimly lit room. Castle assessed the room, discovering its purpose.

It was an experimental lab. Decked with top of the line tools, it looked like any typical lab, aside from the unconscious woman lying on the sole slab.

Castle's ears perked up on the sudden blaring alarm system. A red flashing light in the corridor gave him all the information he needed. Quickly, he entered the room, closing the door, making it airtight. Now, he could get to her without any obstacles.

He spotted the transparent locks on her arms, neck, and waist. They expected her to thrash about once she woke. Castle couldn't blame them there; once awake, there was no telling how she'd react.

He was just glad this time he wouldn't be at the tail end of that anger.

_For once_. He mused. Taking one clamp in his hands, he attempted to pull on it only to realize it could withstand his strength.

"Damn!" He swore, immediately looking around the room for any weapon. Voices and loud, determined footfalls were heard outside the door. Castle realized he didn't have much more time to come up with a plan.

Suddenly, he spotted a red button a few feet away. Instantly flitting to the work station, he quickly studied the section, coming up with the conclusion that it was indeed the right button to release her. Without a second more, he slammed his hand on it, effectively causing it to unlock.

He watched as her body relaxed, a sigh escaping her lips. Instantly, he was at her side, coaxing her to wake. There was no luck, so instead he lifted her body and closed his eyes, immediately transporting them to a random hospital far, far away from the facility.

Medical personnel tended to her, leaving him behind to wait. He struggled only a little against the female nurse who stopped him at the trauma doors.

"Kate!" He called. "Kate!" He tried again.

He was left to sit in the waiting room. Minutes after waiting, he realized that he needed to call everyone.

The whole group sat near one another as they awaited word for her. Castle sat near the double doors, head looking down, slumped shoulders and hands cradling his head. His face were redden from long-gone tears.

He was in an utter chaotic state. Nerves rattled, all his mind could think was about her and the events just shortly before. As he looked up at his mother, his thoughts turned to that fact that he had met his biological father, that he could now tell his daughter her father's paternal side. Although he may be angry now with the man and information that he was given, he knew eventually he'd get over it.

Abruptly, he started hearing two heartbeats – one more dominate over the other – as he lifted his head. Castle straight across the room at nothing in particular while the erratic heartbeats grew louder. His own heart started beating at a fast pace. Something was wrong with his partner. He could just _feel_ it. No gut feeling involved.

With a start, he rose and flitted to the double doors. At the moment, he had little care that anyone saw him. All that matter was his family, and she was one of the key members. Touching the one of the doors, he looked up at the top, wanting so badly to get to her. He could literally _feel_ everything they did to her, and he definitely didn't like it.

"Dad!" He heard Alexis call in the distance. Pulling his attention away from the strong trance he seemed to subconsciously slipped into, he turned his body halfway around. She and his mother grew closer. "Dad, please come back." She reached out for him. Her pleading matching ice blue eyes latched onto his own, mentally willing him to calm down. "Don't do something you'll regret." Meaning his abilities...he knew what was on her mind. "I'm sure she'll be okay."

_I hope_. He prayed, turning away and looking back at the door. _If only they knew what we could do_. _God damn this situation!_ Castle listened to his daughter, turning away step one of the obstacles keeping him away from her.

It was two hours before a doctor came to them. By this time, the ER had downsized on needy people.

"Family of Katherine Beckett?" The female doctor called. The team and extended family rose. She looked taken aback at the amount of people before she specified who she really needed to speak with. "She has Richard Castle listed as her medical proxy?"

He came forth, looking ten times his age. The doctor, under different circumstances, would have asked for an autograph or a picture, but it was all business right now. Besides, she was sure the news she would present to him would most likely throw him a curve ball.

"You might as well to them, too. It'll save me time and breath." He jerked his head in the direction of the rest of the people.

"Okay." She walked with him further into the area, averting her attention to the group. "Detective Beckett came in unconscious, as you all know. We discovered trauma on her forefront left side, most likely made by some sort of metal pipe, more specifically a constructional pipe. There wasn't much we do there; it will have to heal on its own. She was dehydrated and lacked nutrition. She's receiving saline and a feeding tube. This is very important for the baby. It's all–"

"Baby?" Castle perked up, surprised. Furrowing his eyebrows, he was completely confused. The rest of them were just as confused as he was. Kate never said anything to him about being pregnant. A string of conflicting thoughts and feelings invaded his system.

The doctor looked at him surprised. "Yes, Mr. Castle. Detective Beckett is two months and a week along. I'm surprised no one noticed."

"I never noticed any typical signs." He said, distractedly.

"None of us did, dear." Martha approached him, slipping a comforting hand on his back, sliding it across.

Feeling like she said all that she should, the doctor excused herself. Castle fell into the nearest chair, completely worn out from the past day. The heartbeats still beat, now equally strong. He knew it was hers and the baby's. This made him smile.


	7. It's A

**Disclaimer: Castle isn't mine.**

"It's A..."

_Six Months Later..._

Castle crawled into their shared bed, pulling the comforter over them. Kate, whose belly was now sprouting an extended belly, sat up in bed, delving into his latest book in the Nikki Heat series. A bowl of popcorn sat on the nightstand beside her, half eaten. A standard-size cup of ice water sat next to the bowl on a cup coaster.

He nuzzled her neck before kissing it as he lay down. She smiled and giggled, placing the bookmark in the book and setting it behind the food. Sliding down, she rested her head on the pillow and lay flat on her back but faced him. "I love you." She said softly.

"I love you, too." Castle whispered, sliding his hand underneath the blanket until it came to rest on her belly. He caressed it lovingly. "I love you too, Giblet." In response, there was a slight kick under his palm.

They slipped into sleep shortly after.

Kate woke slowly, stretching as much as she could, and yawned. Castle was still asleep, appearing peaceful in his sleep. One of his hands was laying across his stomach while the other one rested in between them. She assumed it had been on her bulging belly and had simply slipped down when she moved. Kate was surprised he hadn't awaken when she moved.

Moments like these gave her the chance to see an innocent Castle. She could only imagine their baby would look. Would it have his eyes or hers? Would it look more like its half-sister, decked out with strawberry hair and blue eyes? Whose personality would it take after? There were so many options that could or would happen that she decided to leave it to genes.

A soft sigh escaped from Castle's lips. He stirred, finally opening his blue eyes to meet her green-brown eyes. Both smiled warmly.

"Morning," Castle softly greeted.

"Morning." Kate returned the greeting.

He sat up, looking down at her. "Did you sleep well?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Kate answered, sitting up as well. She shoved the blankets off her body. "I think the baby's hungry." She subtly suggested, looking back at him as she got up.

"Is it the baby who's hungry or Mama who's hungry?" He teased, getting up and following her to the kitchen.

"A little of both." Kate answered, opening the fridge and checking out what looked good.

Castle got kitchenware ready, awaiting her orders. "How about I make you some pancakes? Or you rather have waffles?"

Kate shut the fridge and sat at the bar. "Um...I'm thinking pancakes."

"Okay." He grabbed the cooking spray and designated skillet. "Pancakes with pineapples, it is."

Kate just smiled.

_New York Health Center_

_9:47 AM_

Castle and Beckett arrived at the broad, light gray stoned building. Its name was etched in a similar color and material fashion. This was the common area for any basic health issues. At first, Castle had wanted to take her to a specialist, but she had objected, saying that it cost less and they did just about everything a doctor's office would. Of course, to attempt to convince her further, he had given her a weird look and simply told her money was no issue.

She didn't care. Tradition was more important than money. Beckett's mother and grandmother had each gone to this place during their pregnancy, and she wasn't about to change tradition.

So they were there, entering the double doors only to be met with the usual bustle. A beautiful water statue sat in the middle of the room, closer to the door, appearing like a greeter. Its mesmerizing colors slipped into another at a slow but short rates. It was the first thing that had captivated Castle when he first came there. Beckett practically had to drag him away, rolling her eyes while he stuttered his response.

Castle sat in the waiting room as she went to the receptionist desk. He looked about the room, spying several women who giggled and smiled at him. _Definitely fans._ He concluded.

"See something interesting, Honey?" She mused as she sat down next to him. Flashing a smile, she followed his line of sight, discovering the women who were clustered. Their actions reminded her of groupies. Whipping her head back to him, she found he had averted his eyes to her. "Wave at them." She suggested.

He did, intertwining their fingers. The women lit up even more. "I wonder if the fans know about us, about the baby." He said as they both looked back at the women.

"Yeah, they do." She answered, to which he looked at her shockingly. Beckett looked at him. "What? I still check out the website."

"You stalker." He teased.

"Don't even start, Castle." She glared at him, giving him the most sincere serious expression. Her smile that escaped her otherwise serious face betrayed her attempts.

"I know you're a fan." He released her hand, only to splay a hand over her belly and caress it lovingly. "You'll be just like your mommy."

"I don't know, Castle. He or she may like another genre of books." She sat up in her seat, glancing up as a person walked passed them. "You never know."

"What?" He looked at her flabbergasted. "Considering _both_ of his or her parents like mystery, my dear, I'm pretty sure they'll like the genre."

"Not necessarily. My dad's–" She started to argue.

"Ms. Beckett?" A nurse called, standing in the doorway to the back. She smiled as they emerged from the pack of patients. "Right this way." She gestured to the scale. Kate stepped on it while he stood nearby.

After the mundane part of the visit, they were escorted to Room 7, where they told to wait. A few minutes later, a doctor entered. The three people went the small talk before the doctor did measurements, asking several questions. The doctor, a female, warned Kate that – like so many times before – the jelly would be cold.

Turning the monitor on, the doctor rolled the wand around her belly until they spotted the baby.

"The baby appears to be developing well. Measurements are normal. Would you like to hear its heartbeat?" She asked, only to receive two persistent nods. Flipping on the speaker, the room was engulfed with a fast, strong _whoosh, whoosh_ sound. "The heart appears to be strong."

"Can you tell us whether it's a boy or girl?" Castle asked, eagerly.

Both women looked at him, surprised. Kate spoke up. "I thought you didn't want to know?"

"I do now." Castle answered.

The doctor chuckled softly. She turned to focus on the screen, moving the wand until she spotted what its father wanted. "It's a boy."

Both parents smiled. Castle mouthed thank you before taking Kate's hand.

"Mother, it's a boy!" Castle announced loudly as they entered the apartment. Martha came from the kitchen, grinning.

"Excellent!" She exclaimed as she engulfed Kate with a tight hug. "We must celebrate."

"I'm getting a brother?" Alexis questioned as she came down the stairs.

"Yep!" Castle pulled his daughter into a hug.

"He's developing perfectly." Kate informed as she sat on the couch. Nowadays, walking and standing seemed to drain her. It was a pain in the ass. "Woo..." She sighed, dropping a hand on her belly, looking up at them. "He's getting heavier."

"That's a good thing, right?" Alexis asked uncertain.

"Yeah." Castle set the ultrasound photos on the kitchen table before joining Kate on the couch. "You were like that."

Alexis scrunched up her nose and gave him a playful look. "I can't wait to see him."

"Me either." Castle agreed. Kate held up her hand as if to say me too.

Martha, who had ventured back into the kitchen, made loud noises as she rummaged through the cabinets, grabbing pots and pans and other kitchenware. "Kate, what do you want to eat?" She turned her head slightly behind her.

"Lasagna sounds good." She answered, scooting closer to the edge of the cushion. A few times, she attempted to stand. Castle was quick to help her. "God, I can't wait until he gets out. I'm tired of having to depend on others for help."

"We don't mind helping you, and you shouldn't feel like that. We love you." He said.

Kate chose not to further that conversation. "So what boy names have you thought about?"

"Jensen, Noah, Kevin..." he rambled as he guided her to the kitchen table, waiting until she sat to go help his mother. "There's several."

Kate hadn't exactly liked any of his suggestions, scrunching her nose in disgust. "I was thinking more on the lines of Lucas."

Castle paused, looking at the ceiling. He averted his head to look at her. "Lucas sounds good. What about a middle name?"

"Humm..." She started running through possible names.

There was happy suggestions among all four of them as three out of the four made lunch.

Johanna stared out the tall window, arms crossed. The silk white, dark blue curtain flowed freely against the fan that slowly gliding back and forth on its stand. Standing in her living room, she wasn't alone as she watched her boys. They were currently playing one-on-one basketball.

Behind her, she heard the giggles and coos from the playpen. Her granddaughter was keeping herself entertained with a variety of toys. Out of her current lifestyle, these three people were the ones who made her happy.

"Jacob Beater is on the phone." Her maid announced, standing in the doorway.

"Thank you, Lucinda." She walked over to the phone on the end table near the window. She picked it up. "It's always good to hear from you, Jacob." She greeted mockingly.

"Leave them alone, Johanna." He simply said, voice full of anger. "I swear to God you hurt them, I'll put a bullet through your skull."

"You know I can't do that, Jacob. When they finally let go of this obsession to gain revenge on my 'death', I'll leave them alone." Johanna looked out the window. "Neither need to know about me."

"We're protecting them in honor of you." Jake stressed. "What happened to you?"

"The mob. Life has a way of throwing curve balls."

"You don't even have an ounce of care for your daughter?" He was flabbergasted.

"I lost my daughter a long time ago." Johanna sounded coldly. "I have a new life."

"Stop hunting them. You know what they have."

"You gave them the SI-32. I'm aware of that." She turned around, taking a seat in the wicker chair. "Why?"

"To protect them from you. I know you're the Dragon."

"You have no clue what I had to do to get in this position."

"Just leave them alone, Johanna." Jake begged.

"Why should I?" Johanna questioned.

"She's pregnant." He revealed, shaking her trickery demeanor.

She leaned in, shock very obvious on face. "What? How far along?"

"Oh, so you _do_ care." He stated, not the least bit surprise by her reaction. He knew all along she cared. "Six months. It's a boy."

Johanna hung up on him, never moving from her current sitting position. "I'm going to have another grandchild?" She said, looking at her granddaughter. "Oh my God."


	8. You Can't Have Him

**Disclaimer: Castle isn't mine.**

* * *

"You Can't Have Him"

For the remainder of Kate's pregnancy, both sides of the game laid low. They had decided to at least let the boy be born. Each side kept an eye on them. Johanna had intentions to take the baby as soon as possible. She wanted him for the powers she was sure he'd inherit while Jake just wanted to protect him.

Jake stepped onto the elevator of his son's apartment. He wanted everything to be laid on the table. It was time. That plus he felt his son needed to know Johanna's intentions.

It was nearing 12:30 AM when he stepped on his son's floor. Standing in front of the door, he raised his hand to knock on the door but paused. A million thoughts rushed through his mind, making his heart race. But he sucked it up, finally knocking on the door.

Inside, Castle slowly got up from the couch where he had apparently fallen asleep watching a movie. He rubbed his eyes, opening the door to reveal Jake.

"Why are you here? I'm not even going to ask how you found me." Castle grumbled.

"We need to talk, son." Jake simply told him. He didn't have time to waste. "Can I please come in?"

Something in his voice propelled Castle to let him in. Jake entered the apartment, taking in the vastness of it all. "Wow, you've done great with the place." He observed.

Castle, however, didn't comment. Instead, he crossed his arms in a irritated demeanor. "You're in. What do you want, Jacob?"

Jake faced him. "Johanna knows about her pregnancy. She has the intentions of abducting and using him. She wants to see what your child inherits from you."

Castle wasn't sure what to think. "You mean the SI-32?"

"Yes."

"He shouldn't inherit anything. It wasn't inherited." He stressed.

"I know, but she seems to think otherwise."

"What happened to her?"

"The Dragon." Jake responded.

"What do you suggest then?" Castle asked, gesturing to the living room. Jake followed him.

"Bringing her down. I must warn you...she has another family." Jake watched him, finding him shocked. "Two boys and a granddaughter. The boys are nineteen and the girl is six months. They're all innocent in this."

Castle looked up the stairs. "She's gonna be flabbergasted when she finds out."

"I know." Jake lowered his voice. "Still, the war has come. Do you want to run or stand up and fight?"

Castle thought about it for a few minutes. "Tell me what to do."

Jake smiled. He leaned in as did Castle. They started to come up with a plan.

Her water broke late in the night when everyone was asleep. Kate woke with a start, automatically gripping Castle's hand. He jerked awake.

"What's wrong, honey?" he asked, concerned.

"My water broke." She replied, alarmed. Staring at him, she briefly paused.

"Alright." Castle jumped out of bed, quickly heading to their shared walk-in closet. He pulled out her ready go bag, rushing around to grab other items that both would need. Helping her to stand up, he slung the bag diagonally across his chest. "It'll be faster for us if I transport us." He looked sincerely into her pain-filled eyes. "Ready?"

"Y-yes." She stuttered, breathing hard at the sudden contraction. She leaned over, nearly falling from the powerful feeling. He held onto her.

He straightened them, twirling her so he faced her back. He wrapped his arms around her upper chest, closing his eyes as he imagined them at the nearest hospital.

Seconds later, they were in the middle of the ER. Nearby patients and visitors were astounded, gawking at them with almost frightened expressions. Normally, Castle would have worried; but his girlfriend and baby were his main priority. Repercussions would come later.

"Can I help you?" The obviously overly tired, worked, and frustrated nurse asked.

"Yes! My girlfriend's water broke!" Castle answered, a little flustered as Kate held her stomach, breathing deeply and trying to release it. At seeing Kate's obvious pain, she rushed around the counter, grabbing an unoccupied wheelchair nearby, wheeling it behind the pregnant woman, urging her to ease into the chair.

"Follow me." She ordered, taking off toward the elevators. Promptly, Castle followed.

Moments later, they arrived on the maternity ward. With precision and quickness, Kate was wheeled to the ward, entering the barrier.

There were a couple of nurses appearing halfway busy. "Girls, we have another one!" She announced, propelling the two nurses into action. It didn't take long for Kate to have a room and hooked up to several machines. Castle, of course, gave his thanks as he kept up, setting the bag in the little closet, and remained out of the way until he was needed. Everyone was scrubbed and ready to go.

Six hours later, of which in these hours family and friends had navigated to the waiting room, the baby arrived only to be greeted happily by his parents. He had done the usual crying before being comforted by his mother's presence. His focus soon gravitated toward his new surroundings. Then, he slowly slipped asleep.

Jake watched the bustling downstairs, fingers intertwined behind his back. Despite his silence, he was slightly smiling. He heard through the great vine that his grandson had been born. He had plans to call his son later.

"Dad?" His daughter interrupted his thoughts. Half turning to acknowledge her, he looked at her expectantly. She took that as her cue to continue speaking. "Have you heard the news?"

"Yes. Six-pounds, three-ounces and twenty-one inches long." Jake responded, returning his vision to the activity downstairs. "What do you plan on doing?"

His daughter looked at him, aghast. "You're letting me take the lead on this?"

Jake took a deep breath, sighing as he took a peaceful moment. He turned back to her. "I've decided I'm going to let you be their handler. There's some other things that need my immediate attention."

She gave him a confusion look, cocking her eyebrows up in surprise. "Oh, well...thanks, Dad."

"No problem, kiddo." Jake headed into his office, walked behind his desk, and picked up a file. "I'm going to be gone for most of the day." He looked up at her. "Can I trust you to keep things going?"

His daughter entered the office, a certain smile flashing on her face. "Always."

Jake gave a curt nod. "Excellent!" He tucked the folder in between his torso and arm, emerging from behind the desk. Stopping in front of her, he placed a hand against her cheek, pulling her closer to him. "You never let me down, Lauren. Never." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you." He whispered, withdrawing from her.

Surprised by the sudden rare display of affection from him, she paused. Jake walked to the door, pausing to turn back to her. Her face now slipped into a warm, pleased smile. "I don't plan on it, either, Dad."

Jake smirked. "Better get at it then." He suggested, gesturing her to follow him out of the room. She did and left him to tend to her new-found assignment. He looked the door, watching her retreating. "If only you knew, Lauren. If only..." He whispered, locking the door and walking in the opposite direction and pulling out his cell phone.

Johanna smiled as she placed the phone back on its cradle. Despite her wicked look, she was very pleased at the news she'd just received. The baby had been born. Now, she had to make the plan to bring the baby to her home.

"Mom, why the look?" her oldest son, Justin, asked as he walked into her office. Her face instantly went to shock. He went to the nearest bookshelf and searched through the titles, obviously trying to a good book to read.

"It's nothing, Justin." She cleared her throat, sitting upright and getting out of her chair. To appear busy, she grabbed a stack of folders, straightening them. "Don't worry about it."

"Kate had her baby today." Justin said, pulling out a book and facing his mother.

Johanna returned to the shock phase. "How did you..." She started, not quite understanding how he knew about Kate.

"Know about Kate?" Justin finished for her, his knowing eyes reminding Johanna so much of her daughter. "Nathan and I've known about her for years, Mom."

Johanna sighed heavily. All of her pent-up worry to keep them innocent deflated in a matter of seconds. "What else do you know?"

Justin smiled, shaking his pointer finger up. "Nah-ah. Not going to tell you _everything_ we know." He moved to the other side of the room. "We inherited your secrecy trait. Watch your opponent's little tells, then strike them at their most vulnerable. Remember that saying, Mom?" Justin recited, watching her carefully. He knew just how his mother took care of her obstacles; he wasn't about to end up like them. "We learned that from you."

Johanna wickedly smiled, a boast of pride swelling her otherwise darken heart. "You and your brother will make great replacements when I pass."

Justin wanted to voice that neither he nor Nathan planned on following in the family tradition, but for the sake of protecting both brothers' lives, he chose to not comment. "Anyway, I just came in here to get a book for class." He turned to leave.

"Book report?" Johanna asked, genuinely curious.

Justin nodded just before bidding his goodbye.

This new knowledge left Johanna in panic yet relieved state. She looked down at the name on the file.

_Xavier James Castle_.

"This can't be good." She whispered, referring to what Justin revealed. Panicked eyes looked up at the open office door, expecting to find the master behind her demise only to find emptiness.

Her relieved breaths were the only thing heard.

* * *

**Please review. It's gonna be a bit before I get the next chapter out. Please bear with me. Thanks!**


	9. DepartureRevelations

"Departure/Revelations"

Justin opened the book to its introduction. Sitting back in his desk chair, he got comfortable as he began to read. A blue cover 3-subject notebook lay untouched on the wooden desk with a black pen resting on top. Only the desk lamp lit the room, leaving the rest of the room to be lit by moonlight.

Justin didn't know his sister, had never been around her; but he often imagined their meeting. He was sure it would be hard on her, especially knowing that she had no clue that he existed. It was a cruel thing to do. Here were three siblings: one having no knowledge of the other two's existence and the other two knowing the whole entire time that somewhere out there they had a sibling. The thing that bothered him the most was whether it was more beneficial to know or remain clueless. His mother certainly only cared about herself in terms of family. If it hadn't been because of the choices she made, they may never had been born.

Or maybe they would have regardless, just in a much better environment.

He knew. Yes, he definitely knew another one of his mother's deepest secrets. After all, he was very intelligent and observant. He'd seen the longing look on his mother's face as she stared into the only picture she had of his sister late at night in her office when she thought everyone was asleep.

Somewhere in her darken heart, Johanna Beckett still cared deeply about her daughter.

Justin sighed, averting his eyes to the picture on his desk. It was a candid of his sister – the same one his mother had in her office. She was his motivation to make something of himself. He knew practically everything about her, considering the abundance at his disposal. That, plus the fact that her partner was well-known novelist, Richard Castle.

"Still staring at her picture?" His brother's voice startled him, making him jump out of his thoughts and look his way. Nathan stood in the doorway with crossed arms and leaning against the door frame. They shared the same brown colored hair. Nathan's very short hair was perfectly in place, mirroring Jay Sean's, whereas Justin's was longer and more spiky. Mirroring his own height, both had their very minor differences. Like his sister, he held the same green-brown eye color while Nathan held pure green eyes. He had more of a thin stature than Nathan, choosing instead to focus more on reading rather than Nathan's more muscular stature in which he focused on more physical interests.

Justin cleared his throat. "Um...yeah." He sat up straighter, closing the book and placing next to his notebook. "Isabel finally fall asleep?" He asked, detering the conversation. He knew his brother's opinion.

Nathan seemingly took that as his invitation to enter Justin's lair, choosing to sit in the chair off his door. He sighed heavily. "Yeah. She was really fighting it this time."

"That's your chance to get sleep, bro." Justin suggested, subtly trying to get his brother out of his hair.

"I will." Nathan responded, growing quiet as he watched his older brother avert his attention to the picture. "You should stop staring at that picture. She's got a life of her own and doesn't even know about us. It's probably best." He said, a look of irritation passing over his face. He stood. "It's a no win situation."

"Maybe not." Justin believed otherwise. "There could be a time when we actually meet her."

Nathan cast an incredulous look. "Are you serious, Justin? You and I both know Mom would _never_ allow it. She's got her reasons why we don't clash with her old life! If we try to defy her..." Nathan sighed, briefly closing his eyes before looking at him. "That's like signing our death certificate!"

"I don't care!" Justin yelled vehemently, jumping up out of his chair. He gained ground to Nathan, intimidating the otherwise threatening man. Nathan may have the body to intimidate, but Justin could cut a man down within seconds just by his look. "It's not fair that we get to live this life knowing that our mother has a child out there who doesn't know that she has brothers. I want to be apart of her life. It'd be nice to know all the reasons why Mom went into hiding." Nathan sat back down, clearly afraid of his brother's rolling heated waves. "Don't you ever want to know about the other side? Don't you ever want to know what's out there? There has to be something more than the life of a mobster's son."

"No." Nathan said quietly. Justin turned, walking away. Nathan stood up, gaining some confidence. "We may look like each other, dear brother, but you and I are clearly different like night is to day."

Justin knew this. This wasn't the first time they'd gotten into this argument. Something changed. As Justin looked at Nathan, he saw the actual difference between them: Nathan was very much their mother's son while Justin was clearly like...he had to think of someone considering neither knew who their biological father was. He was more like Kate.

A renewed sense of determination overcame him as his eyes drifted over to the picture. His face darkened. He was determined to find her – with or without their mother's consent. The feeling boiled in his heart.

Turning to his closet, he gathered the go bag their mother insisted they have and walked over to the desk. He grabbed his backpack, throwing his desk's content, aside for the obvious items that wouldn't fit, inside.

"What are you doing, Justin?" Nathan asked, confused. Worry laced his voice. "Don't do something stupid."

"I already have." Justin stated, zipping up the backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. "I just hope she forgives me."

Justin started for the door, but Nathan reached out, catching ahold of his arm. "I can't lose you."

"You won't." Justin assured. "At least spiritually. I can't let my life pass me by without knowing."

Nathan suddenly understood. "It's not just her. You want to know who our father is." He stated, releasing his arm.

Justin gulped, looking down. "Yeah."

"Let me know when you find out." Nathan said. He'd recently had the same desire but feared to express it. "Be careful out there."

Justin smiled, warmly. "Always."

They both sighed, accepting the turn in events. Although their hearts broke, they knew all alone that Justin was destined to break away from the life of crime. He always had.

"Take care of Izzy." Justin ordered Nathan, to which he knew he would.

"Always." Nathan assured. With one last look, each man conveyed their goodbyes silently. Then, Justin simply walked away and this time, Nathan let him.

One Week Later...

_Click, click, click_...was the sound resonating in the room. A receptionist typed quickly away as she looked down at a file every so often to continue relaying the information into the computer. Justin stood at the desk, peering over it as he watched her steady, swift hands press the keys lightly on her way.

As if she suddenly felt his presence, she looked up expectantly. No smile or introduction was made. A simple "what do you want" was passed through her lips.

Taken aback by her unfriendly demeanor, he stumbled over his words. "I'm looking for Johanna Beckett's sperm donor."

The woman ceased to type, choosing instead to avert her full attention to the young man before her. He noticed her demeanor changed a little. Apparently, his mother's file meant something.

"Who are you, young man?" She asked.

"Justin Beckett. She's my mother." He answered as he offered his driver's license to her. She took it from him, studying it before handing it back to him. She handed him a pen and clipboard. "Sign here."

"Thanks." He quietly responded, quickly signing his name. As he handed the proffered items back to her, she directed him to sit in the waiting room. He respectively obliged, turning on his heels and taking a secluded seat.

His wait was short lived. He was soon directed to a room with a single file setting peacefully in the middle of the table. Only after the door closed did he mess with the file.

Justin momentarily closed his eyes, trying to calm his anxious nerves. Finally, he just opened the file. Staring at the large picture of his biological father, his heart sped up. Of all things, he'd never thought this was possible.

The name taped to the man's picture was James Beckett.

_We have the same parents?_ He questioned, having assumed his whole life that his brother and he had a separate father. _This is so not good._

Justin stole the file, disappearing out of the facility before anyone noticed he and the file were missing. Now, he sat in his hotel room on the bed with the file spread out on the made bed. He sat, Indian style, on the bed with one paper in one hand and another in the other. His father's picture was on top of the remaining papers in the file. In his left hand was family history; in the other was a general description of the man.

Name: James Patrick Beckett

DOB: February 13, 1950

Family: Johanna Loraine Jenkins (Spouse, deceased)

Katherine Maria Beckett (Child, Alive)

Height: Six-feet, Zero inches

Occupation: Criminal Lawyer

Justin stared at the information, memorizing it. This was what made up James Beckett. A yearning nagged at him to better understand this revelation. He was afraid of the repercussions when he decided to confront the situation head on. It was only a matter of time before he would actually do it.

He looked away from the papers in front of him, turning his head to the window. Rain was striking the glass in a hatred manner. It reminded him of crying, as if it was displaying his current emotions. On one hand, he was _very_ angry at his mother for keeping them in the dark about the identity of their father; but he was also sad that his brother and he had missed out on being a part of the Beckett Family. He had plans to make up for it.

Some miles away, Kate was putting Xavier into bed, laying him softly in his crib, brushing her hand lightly over the smooth baby skin. Beside her, Castle pulled the small blanket over his little body, placing his hand lightly over their son. In the doorway was Alexis, who looked on with a pleased smile. Since her brother came home, Alexis had spent more time there than at her dorm room.

"Good night, Dad and Kate." Alexis sleepily said, shaking both parents out of their trance.

Both of them turned to the doorway. Each bid their good nights with each giving her a hug. She stood on her tiptoes to give her father a kiss on the cheek before moving to her room.

Castle watched her until she closed her bedroom door before looking back at Kate, who flipped the light switch. "I sure hope Xavier is just as sweet as Alexis."

"You and me both, babe." Kate patted his chest before walking passed him. He quickly caught up to her.

They slipped into bed, falling asleep almost instantly. There was only a matter of hours before Xavier woke, and one of them had to get up with him. Unless Alexis managed to beat them to it.

_Smash!_ A vase, now cracked, landed against the wall to the right of Johanna's desk. With a pissed off expression that rivaled any of her three children, she supported her upper body with her hands on the desk. Nearby her was Nathan, looking rather afraid of his mother. He had just gave her the news. News she apparently wasn't taking very well.

"Why did you let him go, Nate?" Johanna asked as she calmed her body. Her wild eyes stared daggers at him.

"Uh..." He stumbled. "You know how Justin is. Once he gets something in his mind, it's _extremely_ hard to deter him."

"You _let _him go without consulting me first." She stated exasperatedly. She righted herself, moving from behind her desk, knocking into his shoulder in the process.

Nathan rolled his eyes with a sunken stomach. He could feel a clamminess overcome him. "I'm sorry, Mom. There's nothing but either killing or detaining him that would have stop this spontaneous trip." He tried to get back on her good side. "Perhaps when he finds his answer, he'll come back." Nathan offered.

"That's the point." Johanna crossed her arms as she looked out into the backyard where Isabel was playing with her toys and nanny. "Neither of you are supposed to know. If I wanted you to know, I'd told you both. Besides, he isn't supposed to know."

Nathan looked at her with confusion. "Who? Justin?"

"No." Johanna answered in a far out voice. "Your father."

Jim Beckett opened the door, dropping his keys in the small bowl that set on the small end table in the foyer at his cabin. On his other hand was a grocery bag full of veggies. He reached over his torso with the unoccupied hand to close the door behind him, then made his way into the kitchen where he set the paper bag on the counter.

The small pile of mail was what caught his attention, making him stop dead in his tracks. Jim chose not to touch it. Instead, he cautiously opened a drawer and withdrew the handgun his daughter insisted he have. Times like these, he was thankful that he had listened to her and got one.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mr. Beckett." An unfamiliar, young, masculine voice said. Jim whipped his head to the living room off to the left of the kitchen. He found Justin Beckett, though he didn't know that. Justin stood beside the lamp on one of the end tables, looking through a magazine. Jim grabbed it regardless, holding it just like Kate had shown him. Justin finally looked up at him. "I won't hurt you."

"How can I be so sure?" Jim questioned, wary of the answer. He wished he could be able to let Kate now somehow. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be possible. "You broke into my house."

Justin neatly placed the magazine on the coffee table, turning to face the older man. He didn't seem fazed by the sight of a gun, which surprised Jim; but Justin knew his mother's work, wasn't the least bit in the dark about seeing his mother shoot her enemies. "Please put the gun down. I'm only here to get information." He explained calmly.

"If this is about Kate, she wouldn't tell me anything other than that she and Castle had been abducted and now are safe." Jim assumed.

Justin ignored him, coming closer slowly. He scrunched his brows, tilting his head slightly to the right and stared at him. "You look older than the picture I saw."

Jim was taken aback. "Picture?" He asked. "What picture?"

"Can you put that down now?" Justin asked, gesturing to the gun. Seeing no obvious threat, Jim lowered the weapon, setting it on the counter just before he entered the living room. Relieved that Jim did, Justin felt a little more comfortable to talk. "Please?" Justin gestured to the couch, to which Jim did. Justin moved away from him, choosing instead to sit in the chair. Sitting in front of Jim on the glass table was the file Justin had stolen. "Take a look."

Jim picked it up and opened it, finding the file the sperm donor building had on him. He snapped his head up to look at Justin. "Where did you get this? Who are you?"

"I stole it. I wanted to know who my father was. My mother wouldn't say and I was determined. My twin brother stayed home with his young daughter. Which reminds me that I need to call home."

"What's your name? This was only reserved for my late wife in case something were to happen to me." Jim grew angry that the facility would use his sperm for another woman's baby – or in this case _babies_.

"My name is Justin Matthew Beckett. My mother's name is–"

"Johanna Beckett." Jim finished, clearly shocked.

Justin sighed. "Yeah."

Heart pounding, he wasn't sure what to think. Only one thought remained clear the whole time. "Johanna's alive?"

Justin nodded, confirming it.

_Oh God..._ Jim thought, a look of panic etched on his face.

She had gotten the call shortly after they'd lay down for the night. On her night, the phone chirped and vibrated away until, after seeing the caller's name, it was answered.

"Hi Dad," Kate greeted sleepily, turning on her right side. Beside her, Castle lay on his stomach with one hand slung over her waist and the other underneath his head. His light snoring told her all that she needed to know about his current state.

"Katie?" His voice set alarming bells off in her mind.

"Dad? Is everything okay?" She asked, more fully awake and sitting straighter in bed, jerking Castle awake in the process.

"What's wrong?" Castle asked under a sleep-induced voice.

She responded by giving him a _hold on_ gesture. "Are you okay?"

"I need you here." was all he said.

She didn't question him. "We'll be right there." He hung up before she could say more. "Something's wrong with Dad." She simply told him.

"I'll get Alexis." Castle told her all the while getting out of bed and leaving the room. It only took a few minutes before he reappeared. "We're all set."

She merely nodded, a relieved sigh escaping her. They were quick to change clothes before he enveloped her in a hug, closing their eyes and transporting them to Jim's cabin.

The first thing that set their protective alarms off was the sight of an unknown man sitting at the dining room table with her father as they were looking into the contents of a folder.

"Who are you?" Kate questioned, fisted hands at her sides. Castle didn't stand far away, mirroring her stance.

Jim and the unknown man both looked startled, jerking their heads in the two visitors' direction. "Oh, hello Katie, Rick." He greeted, gesturing to the younger man. "This is Justin."

"Dad, you sounded like you were in trouble." Kate said, confused.

"Why are you here, Justin?" Castle asked, unable to stop himself. Both of them stood down, coming closer to them.

"I was at the time, but we're okay." Jim assured, smiling. "Come. Sit." He gestured to the other two chairs.

Cautiously, they sat.

"Let me further introduce Justin." Jim seemed more at ease with the younger man. "Katie, meet your little brother."

Kate was shell-shocked, dropping her jaw.

Castle was just as surprised. "Wow, I did not see that coming."


	10. Change in the Game

**Another chapter already? Yes, my readers, I have delivered another chapter for you in response to all the new followers. Thanks to all who've been reading. Thanks so much!**

**Now, the second part of this chapter...I apologize if it seems totally out of place, but I felt since Justin's been introduced that it would shift the character's mind set.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

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"Change in the Game"

The four adults sat around the table with Kate and Castle eyeing the younger man. He seemed perfectly comfortable and a little arrogant in their presence, almost as if he seemed to control this situation. Beside him, her – _their_ – father looked on as if he was a puppeteer, maneuvering his puppets to his will.

Except, he wasn't in control of this situation and neither were his daughter or her writer boyfriend.

"Okay!" Jim suddenly spoke up irritatedly. "Quit staring at him and ask the knowing questions you want to know."

All three of the other occupants jumped at the sound of his thunderous voice. Each felt silly in their silent eye staring game. Kate looked at her father for reassurance before addressing her "brother". "So you say you're related to us...prove it."

He smiled as he closed the file, sliding it over to her. "This is what will tie you to me."

Both partners stared at the closed file before Castle reached out to open it. Justin started to protest but quickly stopped when Jim gave him a warning look. Castle speed-read through the entire contents while Kate got bits and pieces, sending an irritated look at him as he passed the file to her.

"This doesn't exactly give us proof." Castle commented, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

"Which is why..." he leaned over his side and rummaged through a military-like duffel bag on the floor beside him. "Oh, yes. There it is." He pulled it out, smiling as he slid it over to the writer. "This should do it."

Cautiously, Castle opened and instantly looked surprised. "Whoa."

"What?" Kate looked up from the file. She looked over at her boyfriend. "Oh wow."

_Enough already. _She thought as she felt her world collapsing around her. Physically, her world looked unchanged; but instead, a rage of war threatened to release. Her stress levels escalated, causing her heart to race wildly. She was sure she'd blow from spontaneous combustion.

In her darken, tucked-in bedroom, she lay completely awake. She felt her controlled power slipping away, piece by piece. With her oldest son AWOL and the secrets that he carried along with him, she was panicking that that knowledge would somehow make it to her daughter's doorstep, ending her reign as the Dragon. He was the key, the pivoting point that switched up the game. Win or lose, she would _not_ go without a fight; and at the moment, she looked like she was losing.

_N__o more running; no more hiding; no more excuses..._were the phrases running through her head. It had been a very long time since she was the Johanna Beckett the world knew her as being. She never expected that hiding in the world of the"Dragon" would cause the determined activist lawyer to disappear, but she should have, considering what job career she switched to. This was it. When her daughter came for her (and she's sure she will), she could no longer deny her existence, despite the turmoil it would cause.

_Put it to rest. You know you want to._ Her thoughts begged her, but her controlling side of her mind struggled for control. _Can't. This is my life now._

Where's her gun so she could end these bickering sides of her mind? Feeling her way on the nightstand, she pulled open the top drawer, quietly smiling when she discovers the very thing her bickering mind couldn't escape from. Switching on her lamp, she sat up, folding her left leg underneath her slender body and placing the innocent killer on the bed in front of her. She stared at it, feeling it beckon her to pick it up; but she didn't.

The sudden cry of her granddaughter interrupted her bickering mind, ceasing the clashing sections' rambling. Jerking her head to her bedroom door, she eyed the door, tilting her head slightly to right to hear better. No physical reactions were heard, so she sat the gun aside and slipped off the bed, leaving the room still as she tended to the six-month-old.

_There's more you can do on this Earth. Not your time yet, Johanna._

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**I hope you all comment and don't kill me from this twist.**_  
_


	11. Legacy

**This may all not make sense, but I'm going to try to tie the story together soon. Hopefully, the chapter after this will make much more sense.**

**I hope you all stay with me and thank you for all the feedback.  
**

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"Legacy"

Silence. It could become an unnerving thing, making thousands of people uncomfortable, relaxed or a sanctuary for those who need it most. Today, it was a curse.

Jacob Beater rarely got a moment of silence. Between being head of the Division of Lynux and tending to his own home life, he had very little time to himself. Today, he got that chance.

Sitting in his den, he lay back in his comfy chair with a book in his lap and a single dim lamp on the end table beside him. A fire crackled in the fireplace, leaving it to be the only noise – aside from the central air/heating system – in the room. Outside, voices were muffled as they moved passed the den, followed by walking and the obvious sounds of people moving about.

The sudden sound of his cell phone on the table beside vibrating and then ringing, lighting the screen up with a _Restricted_ number popping up caused him to jerk out of his fantasy world. Irritably, he grabbed it and answered it.

"The cat is out of the bag." was the greeting he received by Johanna. He detected the worn-down, defeated emotion in her broken voice.

"What do you mean?" He sat up in his chair, swinging his legs off the foot stool. Placing the phone in the crook of his neck and shoulder, he placed his bookmark in the book and set it on the foot stool. He resumed holding the phone.

"He took off. He'll tell her." She vaguely told him. "My own son betrayed me!"

He started to speak but stilled once he heard a crashing sound in the background. Alarmed, his eyes widened. "Johanna, you're not making sense. Which son and what the _hell _are you doing? This is not how our game is supposed to play out."

"Justin disappeared. Nate came to me, informing me that he'd left to find their father. Little do they know all three of my children share the same father. After Nate pushed for the answer, I finally got fed up and told him. It's only a matter of time before my reign falls down."

He heard the sound of a gun cocking. "Don't do anything irrational. There's plenty of reasons to not kill yourself."

"What! So you can just kill me for yourself?" Johanna sounded a little drunk. "I don't think so. Besides, good _always_ beats bad."

"We brought our children together for a reason, Johanna." He stated, sternly as he stood, using his hand to make a point. "He's here."

"Xavier." She deduced. "All along, you wanted me to take him." She pointed out, sounding a little more clear-headed.

"He'll be _a hell_ of a lot advanced than his parents. It'll be worth it, trust me." Jake's face transformed into a sinister expression.

"Ah...so the truth comes out." Johanna made the connections. "Nice, Jacob."

"I've learned from the best." Jake complimented.

Unbeknownst to him, she blushed. "You always were my best student."

_Hows it going there?_ was the text message Alexis received an hour later just as she woke up. Yawning and stretching, she had picked up the buzzing phone and, under her still sleep-induced mind, typed a quick response. She could hear singing and walking in the other room. Martha had probably gotten up with Xavier sometime between her father and Kate's departure and just now.

She got out of bed and made her way down the hallway to the youngest Castle's room. There, she saw Martha holding Xavier with one arm and animatedly singing to him, using her free hand as a visual, as she paced back and forth across the room. From Alexis' vantage point, she could see her brother's tiny smile.

Leaning against the door frame, Alexis crossed her arms and produced a warm, free smile. "You know, I would've gotten him." She stated, announcing her presence.

Martha stopped, faltering in both walking and singing. Glancing at her granddaughter, she waved her free hand in a _nonsense_ gesture, turning back to Xavier. "You looked peaceful, and I was already up anyway. Besides, it gave him some grandmother-grandson bonding time. Didn't it?" She cooed.

"Okay." Alexis started.

"Better get dressed, Alexis." Martha advised, to which Alexis gave her a confused look. "I thought we'd take him out and go shopping. Besides, you need a dress for tomorrow's date."

Alexis blushed, slightly embarrassed. In all the chaos, she'd forgotten that she and Wyatt (a guy she met in class) had a date. "Oh, crap."

"Did you forget?" Martha inquired as she walked over to the changing table, where, beside it, was his dresser. She glanced up long enough to see her nod. Shaking her head, she said. "Well, better get ready."

With that, Alexis turned and retraced her steps to her room where she immediately headed to her closet.

Justin gauged his older sister and her boyfriend's reactions to the information they were just given, and he was nervous. Would they accept him like his father seemed to? Will he face his death? Questions of that nature swirled in his mind.

"How long have you known about me?" Kate asked, drawing Justin's attention to the present.

"All of my life. Mom may have changed, but she never forgot her family. You two were always in the back of her minds. She just never spoke about it." He drew quiet, letting that sink in before continuing. "No one can ever just let their pasts go. No matter how much they try."

The emotions betrayed her as they passed over her face. He could tell she was caught between wanting to believe him and still not trusting what he was telling her. Although he felt a little discouraged that she would feel that, he wasn't backing down from the challenge of persuading her to believe him. "That's not true." She finally responded. "I moved on from what kept me from being happy." She said that as she took Castle's hand in her own and looked at him with a confident smile.

"Her 'death' will forever be in the back of your mind, will it not?" He pressed. "Especially with your newborn son." And the atmosphere immediately grew still and cold. Three pairs of eyes stared at him in surprise. He looked at each member, not the least phased by their sudden cold vibe. "What? I know _everything_. Mom didn't raise fools."

Panicked expressions slid over Kate and Castle. "You leave him _alone_." Castle growled.

Justin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Smugly, he replied. "I'm not the one you should worry about, Mr. Castle."

With looks at one another, the partners disappeared, leaving only roused air behind.

They arrived within a blink of an eye. The apartment was still, aside from the appliances and air/heat unit. Wildly, they took off in opposite directions, searching the large apartment within seconds.

"Oh my God!" Kate said, heart hammering in her chest. "Where are they, Castle?"

Looking just as frantic as she felt, he merely shook his head. At that moment, his phone buzzed, nearly making him jump. Silently, he pulled it out of his pocket only to see he had a text message from Alexis.

_Come. Stix._

_ - JB_

Castle slowly looked up at Kate, stomach sinking. "Dear..."

"What?" Kate's voice matched his. She turned to look at him, seeing him lift the phone and face the screen at her. Quickly, she read the short message. "Get us there, Castle." Her voice sounded like venom and held no argument, which Castle wouldn't object. "Now!" She yelled as she wrapped her arms around him, snapping her eyes closed. At a superhuman speed, he shoved the phone in his pocket, wrapped his arms around her, snapped his eyes shut, and sent them to the Stix.

Jake stared at the two women before him. Each were tied to chairs, their hands behind the chair and feet tied tightly to the metal legs. No matter how much they squirmed, they wouldn't be able to get out.

"What's the meaning of this?" Martha asked, glaring at the man.

"You don't remember me, do you, Martha?" Jake questioned, crossing his arms as he ignored her question.

Martha looked more closer, taking a few minutes to connect the dots. She could immediately see the similarity between her son and this man. "Oh my God."

Alexis looked back and forth between the older people. "What? Gram, who is this?"

Martha's mind was swirling with so many questions. "How did...what the..." She looked at the floor, then at Jake, then over at Alexis, who looked at her expectantly. "Alexis, meet your grandfather." She revealed as she rolled her head back to her captor.

Stunned, Alexis' mouth formed an O as she slowly looked at him. She was about to say something, but her little brother's screams interrupted them. Whipping her head behind her, she tried to see what was going on with him.

An older woman held him up, inspecting him. They were a few yards away. He didn't like being held in the air, away from a warm body. She lowered him, holding him against her chest to calm him. He never did. The tension in the room was overwhelming.

"He's perfect. Just like you said, Jake." She announced with a sinister smile.

"Good." Jake smiled. "Get him out of here."

She started to walk away but was stopped by Kate, who stood with clenched fists and a pissed off expression. "Katie..."

Kate's expression slipped to a stunned one. "Mom? You're really alive?"

Behind Jake, Castle stood on the other side of the table which Jake was leaning against. "Leave my family alone." He growled with an equally pissed off expression, one Alexis had only seen whenever her father was livid.

Jake momentarily jumped, whirling on his heels and staring him down. "They're my family too, Richard."

"Biologically, yes. Everything else, hell no!" Castle yelled, glancing passed them to see Kate faltering their otherwise flawless plan. "Kate! Don't let her appearance change your reasonings!" That seemed to realign her focus.

"You don't understand. We had to do this. It was necessary." Jake vaguely explained. "He was always supposed to be ours."

"Dad!" Alexis called out. That averted Castle's attention for a fraction. Unfortunately, that fraction caused him to slip from his focus. "Look out!"

He didn't catch the man approaching him from behind until the burning sensation materialized on his wrist, immediately making him fall onto the table. Weakened by sensation, he was helpless as he watched the scene before him, grimacing in pain. Kate dropped just like him; she too suffering the same feeling.

Jake held a black trigger in his hand, its light up at green. A sinister expression was on his face, slipping into a sympathetic expression. "Your mother and daughter will be safe. We only want you two and Xavier. You're our greatest legacy. I'm sorry." His voice became distorted as he lost consciousness. In the background, he heard his family's screams for him and Kate.

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**Let me know what you think!**


	12. Determination

"Determination"

_One Month Later..._

The sound of doors slamming was what got the chaos started. Two people – one female, one male – came bursting through the ER, unconscious, and on gurneys. As fast as the paramedics and medical personnel could run, they got him to a room. He was drenched in his own blood, losing it fast. Dirtied, ripped clothes were immediately cut off and placed in clear property bags.

A dog tag was carefully taken off from around his neck. The chaos within that room carried the most intense moment that ER had seen in a long time. Hastily hooked up to different monitors, it was discovered to be a strong heartbeat and obvious signs of brain activity. That relieved the doctors and nurses.

It was obvious from the X-Rays, MRIs, and CAT scans that he had endured very damaging torture.

"My God...it's Richard Castle." A male doctor trailed off with widened eyes. He turned to the nurse beside him. "Have reception get a hold of his next of kin."

"Yes, Doctor Kingsley." With that, the nurse did as told.

She got the call in the ween hours of the night. Light orange hair sticking up practically everywhere...eyes bloodshot...in a sleep-induced haze...these were the obvious signs of someone in a toss-and-turn night.

Groaning, she scratched her head with one hand just as she picked up the house phone. "H-hello?" Her voice greeted, hoarsely.

"This is Catalina from St. Mary's Hospital. Is Alexis Castle there?" The feminine voice sounded worn-down, stressed.

The young woman straightened up, instantly became more alert. "This is she." Her eyes widened and there was hope laced in her voice. Finally, maybe her father was alive.

"Your father was rushed into the ER a few minutes ago. The doctor thought it'd be best if you came here."

Alexis let out a big sigh of relief as she tried to calm her thunderous heart and hammering nerves. For the first time in over three months, she genuinely smiled. "Was there a month old baby brought in with him? What about a woman?"

"It's best you get here as soon as possible." The nurse repeated.

"I'll be there shortly." With that, Alexis slammed the phone down, turned on her heels and darted up the stairs, all the while yelling for her grandmother.

A dim light sat alone on an end table next to an unmade bed. Sitting on the bed under the covers was a young man who was in deep concentration as he read through a book. One by one, he flipped the pages, making the occasional reaction any reader would get. The sound of the phone ringing in the hallway near his room interrupted his concentration, causing him to whirl his head to the right. His bedroom door was opened, leaving him the chance to see his father grab the phone.

Watching curiously, he listened to his father's half of the conversation and observing the man's face go from sleeping to shock to some relief as he replied that he'd be there shortly.

"What's going on, Dad?" The young man asked as his father turned around, facing him.

"Rick's at a hospital." The older man sounded stunned, barely able to hold his own weight up. "Get ready, Justin. We're heading to the hospital."

Justin was out of bed before Jim even finished speaking.

_Beep...beep...beep_ was the sound that Castle heard in the distance as his mind seemed to be in a delirious atmosphere. He couldn't open his eyes but he felt pain all over his body. This sense came in and out as his consciousness drifted in warning territory. A soft urgent desperation ran its course throughout his nervous system, immediately making him worry about Kate and Xavier. He couldn't feel them, but he could feel his mother and daughter, her father and brother, and their friends.

_Where the hell are they?_ He thought as the noises in the distance became closer. _Please let them safe._

Finally, he managed to push through the limbo state his mind seemed to take residence in and opened his eyes. Bright light streamed into the room from the opened blind, greeting his eyes to a harsh reality. Instead, he lifted his right hand to block it.

"Oh thank GOD!" came his daughter's loud relieved voice. He whipped his head to his left and saw that it was indeed his daughter sitting in a chair next to his bed. Her appearance was of worn-down, stressed, worry, crying. It looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"Alexis?" Castle sounded confused. This tone of voice caused her smile to immediately slip into a worried frown. She could tell he was looking her over, and she was sure he could see the evidence of just how affected she was of his spontaneous return. Furrowed eyebrows, Castle spoke again. "Are you okay?" Instantly, paternal instinct overruled his own pain. He lifted his arm out to beckon her into his arms, to which she immediately did as tears fell freely from her face. He wanted to hold her tightly, but the pain in his torso shot that out of the water, so he settled for a tolerable tightness. His heart constricted.

"I should be asking you the same thing, Dad." Alexis said under her muffled voice. She pulled back and her father immediately wiped away the tears. "I'm just so glad you're alive."

"What do you mean?" He asked, furrowing his brows once again. "How long have I been gone?"

"Wha..." Alexis started, stunned. "You don't know?"

He shook his head.

"Dad, you've been missing for a month. You, Kate, and Xavier." Alexis revealed, eyes widened at the disbelief.

Castle's eyes turned away from her. His mind was in a wave of unfathomable proportions. Finally, his eyes returned to her. "Where are they?"

"We don't know." Alexis answered.

His heart began to pound in his chest. Panic swept him. "I've got to get to them." He pulled the sheets off him and started to move, but the pain reminded him not to move too much. As a reaction, he hissed, clutching a hand to his rib cage.

"No, Dad! Don't!" Alexis warned, darting around the bed to stop him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she effectively stopped him as he looked up at her. "Please!" She begged. "You're in no shape to get out of bed."

He started to ignore her warnings, but the door swung open, revealing his mother and a doctor.

"_Richard Edgar!_" She yelled as the doctor came around her and helped Alexis to ease him back on the bed. They all received a glare. "What has gotten into you?"

"They've got Kate and Xavier! I'm the only one who can get them back!" He yelled back.

Martha could clearly see the lost, helpless expression that only she and Alexis was able to pick up on. Feeling sympathetic, she crossed the room, taking the seat previously occupied by Alexis and resting a hand on his cut arm. "We'll get them back." She wanted to pat his arm but know that was inadvisable. "Listen to Dr. Kingsley."

The doctor now stood at the foot of the bed with his chart in hand, looking at his patient expectantly. When he realized he had their full attention, he started with introductions before explaining what had gone since his arrival. "Mr. Castle, you are a _very_ lucky man. You sustained broken ribs, trauma to your brain, various cuts and bruises along your body, at one point we discovered an open wound from, what we believe, some sort of sharp object, most likely a knife, to your lower left stomach. Your heart gave us a little scare shortly after you arrived, but we were able to revive you."

As the doctor explained his injuries, Castle lay his head back against the pillow, looking upward as flashbacks of the tortures he endured raided his mind. His heart pounded. All his mind worried about was getting his girlfriend and son back.

"Mr. Castle?" He heard the doctor's voice in the distance. "Mr. Castle?" Again, he heard the voice but it was closer.

"_Richard_!" His mother's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, sorry. I..." He trailed off, blinking and pulling his attention back to the people in the room.

"It's understandable. You've undergone extensive trauma. It's normal to be a little out of it." The doctor was impassive. "I need to check on other patients, but I'm glad you're awake. I'll swing back by here and check on you later."

He slipped out, leaving Castle to tend to his family.

"Mother, I _have_ to get them back." He stressed, eyeing first his mother then Alexis.

"Then, let us help you." Martha offered, patting his shoulder lightly.

He pulled Alexis into a reassuring hug. "I'll be just fine, pumpkin." He forced a smile as she drew back before pulling her closer to lay a kiss on the top of her head. To his mother, he lightly squeezed her upper arm. "Just fine." As a reaction, his mother merely smiled.

A child's coos drifted into one of the many rooms in the house from the hallway. She knew immediately it was her son's and a smile lit her features. Forcibly tied to a halfway comfortable chair in the office, Kate struggled against the ropes. Her wrist hurt like hell from the device sitting on the neat desk before her, mocking her. Her clothes were just as dirty and bloody from all that she'd endured. Her long, silky brown hair was now tangled and completely messed up. Her entire body hurt like hell, but the sound of her innocent son's voice made it all seem to go away.

She knew otherwise. From the many crime scenes, she knew she'd be lucky to live much longer. Xavier shouldn't live in this world; he should grow up in the Beckett-Castle environment with a childish, famous father and driven mother, and a college determined sister, and grandparents. Luckily, though, he hasn't been harmed.

"Katie?" Her mother's voice called from behind her at what she assumed was the door.

"Don't call me that!" She growled. "Only my parents are allowed to call me that."

A moment of silence fell over the room. "Fair enough." Johanna said as she entered the office and came into view. Kate stared into her eyes, no longer seeing any trace of her mother's warm, loving green-brown eyes. They were cold...distant. She wondered if these were the eyes her brothers looked into as they grew. She shivered, feeling bad that they didn't get the chance to know the mother she had...the mother that was the real Johanna Beckett.

"What...happened to you?" Kate asked as she looked at her mother from her feet to her head. Not a lot had changed: merely age and the sinister aura.

"I quit my day job as a lawyer and switched sides." Johanna did a slow 360° with her hands up in a _what do you think_ gesture. "It actually pays more. That, plus I get to be the one giving the orders. Something that I never got at the law firm." She picked at her nails as she sat on the edge of the desk, looking down before slowly looking up. Kate looked at her, aghast. "Oh, no need to cast that look. I've accepted my role in the world a long time ago. Now, it's _your_ turn."

"What _is _your role?" Kate wondered.

Johanna got up and walked over to the nearest bookshelf, browsing the books. She pulled one out and admired the dust jacket before opening it, fingering it. "Well, I always assumed I would raise good children and live a good life." She slid it back in its spot and looked back. "Two-fourths of that happened. My role now is to make sure the right people get what they deserve, except my work is more focused on the bad side of the line." She moved to the window where her family were enjoying the weather, playing outside. "While you solve murders and get justice for the victims, I create them. Those who do me and my family wrong are punished, so in a way we both put bad guys away."

Kate remained quiet, raising an eyebrow as she chewed that interesting logic. "Why haven't you released me then?" She asked, continuing. "As much as I don't want to say this, I could help you."

Her mother smiled. "That's what I was hoping you'd say." She moved forward until she was face-to-face with her. "That was my ulterior motive. Not only to raise my grandson in this more useful environment, but bring my daughter into it as an asset. Your abilities would make my work a lot easier."

"You're asking me to switch sides like you?"

"Exactly." She sat on the edge of the desk, crossing her arms and producing a smug smile. "Plus you can be near Xavier. I'll make you my second-in-command, so you won't be in the direct line."

Kate raised her eyebrows in surprise. Although her mind told her it was wrong, her heart tugged at the tempting offer. It was after all in its twisted way a sense of justice, if she just kept that in mind. "What about Castle? He's Xavier's father. Shouldn't he be involved in his son's life?"

Johanna looked down. "Unfortunately, Jake declared him as useless. Evidently, Castle wasn't agreeing to his plan. He's been...how should I put this...disposed of?"

Kate's heart fell. Her thoughts immediately drove down the worst scenario. _He's dead?_ Tears started falling as her world seemed to dim. As her breathing became erratic, she struggled to keep herself in check.

Johanna eyed her. "Good Lord, girl! He's not _dead_! Jake would never do that to any of his children. He was picked up at The Stix and taken to the nearest hospital. He'll live."

Kate took a deep breath and let it out, completely relieved. Her tears, however, kept falling. Finally after she was able to calm her nerves, she glared at her mother. "What the hell? You led me to believe he was dead!"

"Didn't intend to. You just assumed. That's something you'll learn _not_ to do while you do this job." Johanna pointed out. "So...you in?"

Seeing no obvious option, she finally nodded. This seemed to thrill her mother because she released Kate from her restraints and escorted her to the backyard, where she smiled as she picked up her son.

"Kate? Please." Johanna waved her hand, pulling her aside. Holding her son, Kate joined her. "I'm going to grant you access to mail Mr. Castle, even see your family, but! You cannot engage in conversation with them at any time." She made it very clear. She pointed to the invisible tattoo. "I've installed a tracking device shortly after you came here, so no funny business."

_You have no clue of my connection with Castle. He'll easily pinpoint me if I get close._ Kate thought as she nodded. _But you don't need to know that._ Instead, she turned back to her son.

Although quite happy that her daughter decided to join her side of the tracks, she still held reservations of her. She vowed that her daughter definitely wouldn't get back him.


	13. Here Without You

"Here Without You"

Time seemed to move along faster than he wanted. He'd spent relentless days and nights going through everything that could direct him in the direction of his family. The people surrounding him noticed the toll that their disappearance was causing him, but in their own ways, they too suffered. It wouldn't help the two missing members of their dysfunctional family to have the rest of the family wearing down, but emotions often overruled everything else.

This situation was no different.

Alexis stood in her father's office doorway with crossed arms and felt like she was on cautious territory. Although their father-daughter relationship had appeared never wavered, she could tell there was an undertone hidden. She felt him pulling away from her and everyone else. It didn't please her at all that this was where her father was headed.

At the moment, Castle was buried in paperwork, trying to find some clue, _any_ clue. He was thumbing through a small stack of papers.

"Dad?" She called in a calm, small voice. She watched him, waiting for him to acknowledge her, but when it didn't come, she spoke louder. "Dad!" Okay, maybe a little _too_ loud.

However, it got his attention. He looked up at her, ceasing his movements. "Yeah, pumpkin?" He flashed a forced smile and his voice produced a lighter tone.

"We need to talk." She deadpanned as she entered the office, moved a stack of papers out of one of the chairs, and gave him her complete attention.

He looked down, resuming the thumbing. "Not now, pumpkin. I'm busy."

Alexis arched her eyebrows, momentarily stunned that her father would brush her aside; but she quickly overcame it, choosing instead to plow forward. Reaching across the desk, she placed a hand on his arm. "_Please_, Dad." She begged, knowing that tone of voice always got his attention. She smiled inwardly when it never failed her.

"What's wrong?" He asked in a tired voice.

"You need to take a break." She pulled away from him, recognizing that immediate defensive look in his eyes. Her hand shot up to keep him from responding. Instead, she continued. "The way you're doing things – always staying up hours on end, obsessed with finding them, ignoring your other responsibilities – is _not_ going to help Kate. She'd want you to at least live outside of this obsession. She definitely wouldn't want you to follow in her footsteps in regards to her own drowning obsession with her mother's case. _You_ were the one that deterred her whenever it was brought up; it was _you_ who chased her demons away, Dad. _You_. Let her return the favor."

"How, Alexis? She can't do that when she's not here!" He retorted. She stood up, and he immediately felt bad for using that tone with her. "I'm sorry, pumpkin." He apologized as he stood, closing the distance between them as he pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to use that tone of voice."

"I know." Alexis hugged him tightly before maneuvering her head to rest on his chest as she looked up at him. "A letter was just dropped off at the door."

"Huh?"

"It's addressed to you." She slid out of his arms, righting herself before producing a nondescript white envelope with only his name typed on the front. It was the bigger one that nearly every home had on hand.

He looked down at it, fingering and shaking it in attempt to possibly get a clue of its contents. Glancing at his impatiently waiting daughter, he opened it, discovering a single piece of plain computer paper in a very familiar person's handwriting. As he withdrew the letter (or he assumed to be), a picture fell to the ground. Alexis was quick to get it, flipping it over to face her as it had landed with its blank side up.

_Xavier_. He was definitely alive and appeared well taken care of, happy as he sat in a typical professional photo.

Both Castles breathed a sigh of relief, but it didn't deter them from anxiousness about their other member of the family. Castle opened the letter.

It was definitely Kate's handwriting.

_Castle,_

_I know you're going out of your mind with worry, but try not to. We both know it's not good for your health, let alone everyone else's. I'm okay and so is Xavier._

_As I write this, he's at my feet, playing with a set of toy keys and looking at me with this goofy grin on his face that even Gates couldn't help but to smile. His crystal blue eyes match your own. He's staring at me with those glimmering blue orbs in a very content (at least to him) atmosphere. As far as I know, his world has been innocent. Other than a few tests done on him (which you know is normal for a baby), she's held up her end of the deal. She's forcing me to do her biding for her, and the only reason I agreed was to protect our son. I hate this side of the world, not knowing whom to trust, but the perk is I still get to kick people's asses._

_We'll be together again, Castle. Don't you worry about that. She still hasn't figure out our secret. She granted me permission to at least keep in some kind of contact because she knows I'm not like her. I can't just drop everyone I care about like a book, so she figures as long as she lets me keep in contact I'll continue doing what she wants me to._

_Whatever happens, Castle, just know that everything I do is for our family. I love each and everyone of you. Watch yourself and be careful. I know you'll track us down, but be aware they have devices that can ground us in a matter of seconds. Neither of us need to die. Alexis and Xavier still need us._

_I love you, Rick._

_Love_

_Kate_

Tears started brimming in his eyes. She was okay. _They_ were okay. That gave him hope and relief that at least he knew she was alive.

His waiting daughter looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

"They're okay." He answered her unasked question. This massive weight of worrying whether they were still alive or not broke down in big chunks, but the worry about getting them home replaced it although it was tamable.

Then...he felt that familiar emotion. His head snapped up just as he started to put the letter back in its protector. Alexis gave him a curious look but recognized quickly that was his _Beckett's-nearby_ tell. He looked to the front door and handed her the letter on his way out of the office to follow that emotion.

However as soon as he opened the door, he heard the elevator doors closing.

She was gone.

Kate shoved her hands in her jacket pockets, shivering as the crisp cold air hit her like a blast of fresh air. She looked both ways, watching as the world around her went on like normal, making her feel like just a dot in the town of NYC. People walked around her – some muttering apologizes, others ignoring her completely – in every direction. Car horns, traffic in general, conversations...chaos surrounded her. Behind her, she could hear the remnants of her entry as the door took its last swing. More than anything, it seemed to amplify her senses. She followed the several floors with her eyes until she found her home, her safety net, beckoning her to turn back around and come home.

She couldn't do that. Not when Xavier wasn't with her.

It seemed like the door had tucked that part of her life in a safe spot, and the world around her was open game. She stared at it a moment longer, sensing him coming for her. Her eyes widened when she realized the complications him seeing her would cause. Just as he opened the entrance door, she turned to her right and swiftly walked away.

She could tell that he knew which direction she had turned, but her new assassin training gave her the skills to quickly blend in. Her eyes burned with tears as her connection to him grew fainter as the distance between them grew farther apart, hearing him say her name in her mind.

His voice would suffice until she could hear it again.

Until then, she had a job to do.


	14. Showdown

"Showdown"

Jake was not pleased. First, he finally gets his son for good, but then Castle fought him so hard, determined not to be the machine Jake envisioned, so he released him; now, the name _Castle_ was blowing up his phone.

He stared at it while it lit up and buzzed. While sitting in his office chair, the irritating device got the privilege to rest on his desk. Finally, it went to voicemail, leaving a dim screen and stilled in its wake.

A pleased smirk lit his features before the phone started again with Castle's name reappearing.

_Goddammit son!_ Jake inwardly groaned as he picked up the phone. "To what do I owe my inadequate son the please of speaking?"

Castle was quiet for a moment, swallowing the hurtful words before manning up. "Kate and Xavier." was all he said.

Jake dropped his smug pretense faster than a person could say help. "What about them? Aren't they still with Johanna?"

"Yeah." Castle muttered, shyly. "I want them back." His voice grew more confident. "What do I have to do to get them back, Jacob?"

Jake's eyebrows shot up, taken aback by his son's mirroring authoritative voice. "Well," he started, still overcoming this new part of him. "I..."

"Stop stalling, Jacob! I'll do everything in my power to get them back." His voice only left venom in its wake. Strong, confidence tone was what piqued Jake's initial motive. "And you know neither money nor physical power can stop me."

"I'm well aware of that." He smiled, pleased at this determination. Maybe Johanna's idea was really working out. "My, my, my, son. The SI-32 really has settled in your system."

"What the hell are you talking about? I just want my family back!" Castle raised his voice.

"I should'da seen this back when you were here." He spoke, sounding like Castle wasn't even there. He cleared his throat. "Family brings out your protective side, doesn't it?"

"Huh?" Castle was at a complete lost.

"When Johanna and I spun this story, we planned on making the perfect soldier. You both were perfect separately, but our plan evolved when it became possible to make two perfect soldiers. It was only after we abducted you that we realized just who exactly we'd taken. Being the cold-hearted killers we are, we decided to test you." He coughed momentarily, giving Castle the perfect chance to interrupt.

"How could you? We were some pawn to you? We're _human beings_!" Castle hissed.

"Yeah, I know that. Don't care." Jake moved on. "Anyway, when you guys were unconscious we checked your vitals to see what needed improved and make the appropriate adjustments. When you finally were ready, we decided to keep you, especially when a rival company got wind of your existence. You were ours, only ours. It was just a blessing when we discovered that she was pregnant. He'll be more stronger than either of you two, making him the most valuable."

His son was quiet on the other end, most likely trying to chew through this new information. "Oh my God..."

"Now, I should have realized that my calculations weren't quite up to par. You weren't ready then, but now that your family's been stolen from right under your nose it's fueled your real potential." Jake told him. "_You_, my dear boy, _are_ the perfect soldier, the one Johanna and I dreamed of. She'll be thrilled when I call her."

"You haven't taken _all_ of my family." Castle pointed out, though he knew they weren't as important to their twisted plans as the three of them. "You better get me to my family or else, old man."

Smugness returned in Jake, a smile being only its proof. "Or else what, Richard? Remember: I made you and I easily kill you."

_The device._ Castle remembered. "Do you know what bidding Kate's doing for her mother?"

"Her security." Jake answered. "You know, Rick, you can be reunited with them. All you have to do is come home."

"I'm home." Castle assured.

"Not that home. Home." Jake corrected.

Castle seemed to think a few minutes. "You take me straight there and then we'll talk." He dealt.

"Your wish is my command, son." Jake was pleased. "Be at The Stix in an hour."

"Okay." Castle hung up.

Jake smirked. He had every intention to be truthful, but his son had no clue the repercussions of his departure.

_9 o' Clock_

Alexis watched as her father packed a bag. "Dad, are you sure? Is there no other way to get them?"

"No. Justin can only tell me where his mother's house is, not where her operations take place." Castle zipped up the duffel bag. "I'm going to be us all home for once and for all. It's time to end their reign. None of us can be safe unless they're stopped. Right now, you're talking to yours truly to end it."

"You and I both know they'll use the device on you faster than you can take a breath! It could kill you both!" She tried to reason with him. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed with tears flowing freely on her face. "_Please_, Dad! Don't leave Xavier and me without parents! What Gram and the rest of our family?"

Castle pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her crown. "I promise I'll bring them home. Somehow."

She broke down. "Mom left me. Don't do the same. I still need you."

"I'll always be with you, pumpkin. Don't you worry about that." He pulled away and resumed walking before getting to his bedroom door, whirling around on his feet. "Whenever I bring them home and if Kate and I are still fighting, what ever you do please protect your little brother. He'll need you if something happens." His determined eyes held her own sadden ones, pointing at her to get the serious situation through her. "Promise me, pumpkin."

She merely nodded, heart broken.

Castle turned on his heels only to be met with his mother. "Mother, take care of them. I love you." He pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek.

"Richard..." his mother started to say, voice cracking as she spoke. "Please."

He pulled away, heading to the door. As he put his hand on the handle, he turned around, giving them one last look. They now stood in his study, hugging closely. "I love you both." With that, he turned again and opened the door and walked out, leaving the resonating sound of the door slamming shot in his wake.

_The Stix_

Castle entered the old building with swift, determined movements. He was eager to be reunited with them. It didn't take long for Jake to show up.

"No small talk. Take me to them." Castle demanded. "Then, we can talk."

Jake wasn't the least phased by his son's demeanor. "Very well."

Castle felt the prick before he could blink. His father would always get the upper hand in transporting him.

_The Rundown_

It was a similar old building like The Stix, hidden in the outskirts of town. If it wasn't for the several cars and activity, Castle would have thought he'd brought him back to The Stix.

"Go ahead, Rick." Jake gestured to the door.

He gulped before swallowing down his anxiety. Jake entered first, holding the door so Castle could follow him. The interior was nowhere like the exterior. It was filled with light and colors. It reminded him of a calm casino from all the stations and bustle. As Jake guided him to the back in the right corner, he soaked in as much detail as he could.

Two men stood on either side of the door with hands wrapped around their wrists. Castle could only watch as Jake displayed his authority as he regarded the men, speaking a stern voice. The men stepped aside and one even opened the door, allowing them access. Jake stepped inside and allowed Castle in before shutting the door behind him.

Kate stood near her mother who was currently dealing with an unfortunate soul as he begged for his life. As soon as she saw the movement, she started to head to the door before stopping as she noted both Castle and his father stopping inside the room. Their eyes met and both let out a sigh of relief before Kate called out his name, running toward him and ignoring her mother's calls.

If he hadn't been so strong, Castle was sure he'd fallen back as Kate plowed into him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and vice versa. He barely had a chance to recover from her momentum before she captured his lips in a desperate kiss.

_Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! You came?_ She thought-spoke.

_Always. I'm gonna get us and Xavier out of this hellhole once and for all. I'll promise you that._ He vowed as they separated. _Where's Xavier?_

_ At my mother's home with the nanny. He's playing with his cousin. He's safe, Castle. He has been this entire time._

_I know. Nathan's child, I assume?_

_ You would be correct, my writer._ She smiled.

They turned their attention to the group around them, seeing a not so surprised Jake and Johanna. The others didn't have a clue what the hell was going on, and neither wanted to explain.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Castle? I was under the impression Jake disposed of you." Johanna first eyed Castle before casting her eyes at Jake.

"I decided to come home." He answered, looking into Kate's eyes. "I want to be with my family."

"He's the perfect soldier we've wanted all along, Johanna." Jake informed her. "It just separation from Kate and Xavier to open up that last part of him."

Johanna looked at the two for a moment before looking at the other guard. "You know what to do." The guard nodded, grabbing the man and hauling him out of the room as he screamed to no avail.

She came forward, bringing out her hands to cup his face and checking him out. Castle's cold eyes just gave her more pleasured that they had indeed succeeded. Johanna knew her daughter was just as important but Castle surpassed her in his vitals. "You weren't lying, Jake."

"No." Jake agreed, beaming as he watched his teacher inspect his finished product.

"Come." Johanna let Castle go and turned on her heels. "Let's go home."

_I plan to strike. Just don't know when, but be on the lookout for my cue._ He warned her as they followed her deeper into the building. _They're both here, so we can kill two birds with one stone._

_Absolutely._ Kate responded, holding onto his elbow with her hands.

Twenty minutes later, the small group arrived at the Beckett Residence. Johanna and Jake got out of the limo first, followed by their children and two guards. They entered the mansion and headed into the study.

Johanna walked behind the desk and sat, waving a hand to the two chairs in front. "Please." She gestured for the couple to which they did. Jake sat in a nearby chair and the guards stood just inside the room.

"Now to get down to business: Jake will train you in our normal tactics. You'll become a CIA trained assassin, just like Kate is. We give you the hits and locations; you perform them. If we aren't satisfied...well, you best hope we don't get to that." Johanna explained, sitting back in her chair. "Any questions?"

"Yeah," Castle answered. "When can I see my son?"

Johanna looked at Kate. "Right now." She gestured for Kate to lead him to Xavier's room.

The first mistake that Johanna made was to let them go alone, but her tired mind complicated her thinking. The second was to not install the same chain that his girlfriend had. The third was letting him carry his bag.

"So what's the plan, Castle?" Kate spoke in a low voice.

"Get Xavier out and burn the place to hell." He answered.

Kate liked that idea, but then her niece came into mind. "We're taking Isabel with us."

"Who's that?"

"My niece." Kate stopped in front of their son's room. "She's just as innocent in this as her cousin. Her father will most likely put up a fight, and I know I don't want to rip families apart; but this one...I'll make an exception on."

"You'd kill your own brother?" He furrowed his brows.

"Yes. Aren't you going to kill both of our parents?" She pointed out.

"Touché." He smiled as she opened the door. Quietly, they entered the room and immediately Castle went to the crib where Xavier softly snored, occasionally making funny faces as he slept. "He's beautiful, Kate." Castle whispered as he looked at her. "We did good."

"Yeah, we did." Kate smiled. She left Castle to observe their son and went to pack a bag for their son and her niece who slept just as peaceful as her cousin against the opposite wall. Until they were older, the cousins would share a room. Kate strapped on a kid carrier on her torso and caught Castle's attention, throwing the other one to him. "Better put that on. Get Xavier in; I'll get Isabel in."

He merely nodded. After quickly slipping the contraption over his body, he leaned over and eased his son into the contraption.

After they got everything set, Castle closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around his son and transported himself outside. Then, he walked over to the front door and held the handle, closing his eyes again. All the doors locked. He'd recently developed that ability, starting last week when he got pissed and started to leave the loft, hand on the door handle. Since then, he'd practiced.

Now, he was glad he did.

Anyway after looking the doors, he transported back into the kids' room where Kate was easing Isabel into the carrier.

"Ready?" He whispered. She nodded.

He poured the gas all over the room, unlocked the door and did the same before throwing the can and lighting a match. Throwing it, he ran back to Kate, threw his arms around her and transported them to the outside. They watched as the house broke out in fire and heard the screams before Castle transported them back to the loft.

They were met with shocked expressions and erupting happy yells.


	15. Epilogue

"Epilogue"

The house burning made the morning news. It was ruled as gang related, which Castle and company never understood. They were safe. With the bad people gone and the identity to the Dragon and Castle's father solved, Castle and Beckett were left to raise their son and her niece alongside their family.

Xavier had ended up being normal, having no signs of the abilities his parents possessed. He's growing a very active little boy with his older sister and cousin always after him.

It seemed like life for them had gone back to the normal, just better.

**The End**

* * *

**Well, everyone, thank you for all the views, alerts, visits, favorites, and follows. It's been a pleasure writing this. Thank you!  
**

**-Kellz  
**

**P.S. Until next time...  
**


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